Bold Words
by Lady Dane
Summary: Can Jenivieve learn to live with the secret that she has uncovered about herself and her true heritage? Can she save the man that she has loved since before she can remember, even though he barely knows she exists? And why does Eric join Dauntless? This is his Initiation story. Please R&R.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Evelyn Johnson was listening to the doctor list all of her possibilities. Evelyn felt hopeless; this was not the life she had wanted for her and her child. Either of them. When she defected from Erudite it was because she knew that she would not pass their initiation test. She thought that if joined Abnegation that she could lead a simpler life. How wrong she had been.

When she had got to Abnegation, initiation had been easier than she had thought and she was pleased to be accepted and wanted. For the first time in her entire life she felt like she was needed. So she easily feel into the role of dutiful Abnegation member. Being completely selfless. And thinking of other's needs first. She may not have been happy but she was content.

Then a few years later she met Marcus Eaton, one of the Abnegation Leaders. He was kind, selfless, and caring to Evelyn. It was not long until they were married. Evelyn did not love him; for she did not know what love was but she again was content.

Soon they were expecting their first child together. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy; Tobias Eaton. The bond between her and Tobias was something grand; she knew it was love and she would do anything for him. This was also the around the time that she learned that Marcus had a darker side.

Marcus never hit her where a mark could be seen. The long sleeves of the Abnegation clothing with the long skirts hid many things well and he used this to his advantage. Evelyn ever spoke of this to anyone for she feared that he would take his anger out on Tobias if she did. As far as she knew he had never so much as raised a hand toward Tobias.

Evelyn took his beatings and never thought twice about it. Eventually Marcus started to be away from home more and more often due to politics. This caused the beatings to stop for months at a time. This is also when she found the time to have an affair.

She did not plan it that way but when she found out that she was pregnant, she knew she had to run and hide. She knew that she had to leave or Marcus would kill her. Or worse; her child. She knew she had to leave Tobias behind; Marcus had always been kind to the boy. She hoped that would not change.

Evelyn kissed Tobias goodbye before she officially disappeared. She snuck into the Erudite compound, where her brother still worked. She knew that he could help her and she could help him in the process.

Her brother Andrew Johnson and his new young wife Vivian had been trying to conceive a child of their own for almost a year. She had sent a note to her brother telling him to be expecting her and to tell no one that she was coming.

Evelyn paused as she readied herself to face her brother and explain everything. She quietly knocked on his door and waited. Soon she was inside with just Andre and Vivian. She explained everything to them.

"Don't you see Andrew?" Evelyn was pacing in her brother's living room. "This is the perfect solution to both of our problems."

"I have no doubt that you have thought this through Eve," Andrew eyed his sister as she walked back and forth while he and his wife were still sitting, much is shock. "But why do you want to become Factionless? I don't understand that."

"I have my own reason little brother. I just need you to trust me." Evelyn moved to sit on the coffee table in front of her brother and sister-in-law. Taking both their hands in hers. "I'm barely pregnant. We have plenty of time to tell people that you and Vivian are expecting. I can have the baby here. Erudite has home births all the time."

"Are you sure big sis?" Andrew looked like she was already gone. She knew that this was a lot to ask of someone but she was desperate.

"I'm going to be alright, I can promise you that. Right now the most important thing is making sure this baby has a future. Will you help me or not?" Evelyn never for one minute doubted that they wouldn't. She really had thought this all though.

"Of course we will Evelyn." Vivian hugged her and whispered in her ear. "After all you are family."

8 Months 2 Weeks Later

Evelyn watched Vivian from door way of the nursery. It had been one week since she had given birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Evelyn had only made one request for the baby: she wanted to name her before she left.

Andrew came up and stood behind her shoulder watching his wife. "Have you decided on a name yet? People are getting curious. She is a week old today."

Evelyn sighed and turned from the new baby. "I have Andrew. I want you to name her Jenivieve." Evelyn was determined to not change her mind now. She had everything planned out and she knew what she needed to do. Keeping the baby was not part of her plan; no matter how much she loved her. That was why should couldn't keep Tobias either.

"It's a beautiful name. We'll call her Eve" Andrew looked his sister in the eyes and knew he was saying goodbye.

"My bag is all packed by the door. Tell Vivian the name after I am gone. Give them both a kiss for me." Evelyn quickly kissed her brother on the cheek and left. She didn't let the tears fall until she was out of Erudite territory.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little teaser. It really serves as the back story for Jenivieve. Evelyn will be in the story but not the main character. She would be considered a supporting character. The story with center around Eric and Jenivieve. I will switch between their points of view. Enjoy.**


	2. Chapter One - Jenivieve

_**I would like to thank the following readers for either following the story, marking it as a favorite, and of course for reviewing.**_

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* * *

**Chapter One**

**15 Years 11 Months Later**

Jenivieve sat in the Hub with the students who were taking their Aptitude test today. She was one month too young to be part of this year's Choosing Ceremony. That just meant she would be old than most of the other students in her initiation class.

Jenivieve was watching the group of Erudite boys particularly. There was one boy that she noticed more than the others but she was sure that he didn't even know she existed. She never even had the courage to speak with him. Now there was a possibility that he would be defecting tomorrow and she may never see him again.

She had her sketch pad and pencils out on her lap. She was once again drawing a picture of Eric. To add to the million that she had in her sketch pad already. Every time she drew one, she didn't think it was good enough, so she would start another one.

"Thinking about Eric again are you?" Her best friend, Angelina, sat down in one of the chair's next to hers.

"That's not important right now," Jenivieve quickly closed her sketch pad. "How was your test?"

"You know you're not supposed to ask other's about their Aptitude tests Jenivieve." Angelina looks over at the other students still waiting for their test. Sound every bit like the strict Erudite Member that Jenivieve knew she would become.

"That's not what I meant and you know it Angelina," she followed Angelina's stare and continued to watch her fellow students from Erudite. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. The test didn't tell me anything I already didn't know." Angelina patted Jenivieve on the knee. "You know, sometimes having you be two months younger than me kind of sucks. Wish we were going through this kind of stuff together."

"I know," Jenivieve squeezes her friend's hand. "But I have something important going on in a few days anyway." She takes her eyes away from Eric and meets the curious stare of her best friend.

"What? You have not mentioned anything to me about anything new?" Angelina gives her friend a grilling look.

"Well you know how Jeanine Matthews always selects the top Initiates to be interviewed for her personal assistant position?" Angelina nods her head. "Well she has been keeping an eye on the IQs of all Erudite students. Since I am done with class and will be old enough for a job next month, she has offered it to me." Jenivieve looks back at Eric.

Angelina follows her glances. "And that fact that she is his aunt has nothing to do with you accepting or not? You don't even like politics." She nudges her friend playfully. "When was the last time that you actually had a conversation with the guy?" Angelina questions her.

"We always greet each other almost every day. We had 4 classes together." Jenivieve huffs back at her friend.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Angelina gives her friend a mischievous grin before standing up and shouting. "ERIC!" They both watched as he snapped his head in their direction. Angelina waved him over.

"Oh my god. I am going to kill you." Jenivieve whispers to Angelina as Eric stands up and starts to make his way over to them. She notices how confident he looks, wearing his blue tunic and slacks. His dark hair is cut short, like the rest of the Erudite boys. But he hardly looks like a boy. He's too muscular; Jenivieve can't remember when he started to fill out but notices now as he reaches them, leaning one foot on the chair in front of Jenivieve and crossing his thick arms over his chest.

"What do I owe the pleasure of this conversation Angelina?" Eric glances between Angelina and Jenivieve.

"Oh, nothing really." She winks at Jenivieve when Eric isn't looking at her. "Jenivieve and I were just discussing Jeanine Matthews. Apparently she has offered the coveted position of Personal Assistance to Jenivieve here."

Eric keeps his gaze on Jenivieve as he drops his book bag into the chair next to him. "Is that so?"

Jenivieve straightens up a little, feeling like she is in a petri dish while under Eric's stare. "Yes, she was impressed with my IQ score."

"You're too young to be in the Choosing Ceremony tomorrow right?" Eric slides into the chair in front of her and turns his body towards her.

"Only by 3 weeks. I'll be 16 next month." Jenivieve answers as Angelina grabs her bag.

"Well I am going to leave you two now." Angelina quickly hugs Jenivieve. "I promised Mother that I would come home right after the Test but I am already late, so I must really go." She waved to them as she hurried out of the Hub.

"Well now back on topic." Eric turns his deep gray eyes to Jenivieve. It feel like he's seeing into her soul. "It's Jenivieve right?" Jenivieve nods her head slightly irritated, they've been in the same class for 5 years. "That's a mouthful. How about I just call you Eve."

"That's very un-Erudite of you. We don't really approve of nicknames." Jenivieve states casual, internally she's freaking out.

"What's a little secret between friends Eve?" Eric crosses his arms on the back of the chair and winks at Jenivieve. "So are you going to accept her offer?"

Jenivieve looks down at her sketch pad and decides to sketch another picture of Eric. She looks back up into his eyes. "Don't more please," she starts the outline of his face. "And what makes you think I have a choice when Jeanine Matthews offers me this kind of position?"

Eric smiles at Jenivieve but hold still for her. "I suppose you are right. If Jeanine wants you as her assistant, then she is going to get you. She always gets what she wants."

Jenivieve looks up at him for a second before going back to her drawing. She is working on the bridge of his nose. "It's something to do. I'm in your class for school but not Choosing. So I have nothing to do for the next year."

Eric frowns as she says this but quickly changes his features back to normal. "Just watch yourself. I know how the Erudite politics work." Eric meets her eyes over the top of her pad, causing her to blush. "Never believe something someone says on face value. Always find proof to back it up. And always trust your instincts."

Jenivieve looked at him again over the top of her pad briefly before returning to the picture; she was on his eyes. "For someone who everyone expects to be the next leader of Erudite, you don't sound like a politician. You don't even sound like you like politics."

"I don't like politics." He frowns again as he studies her while she's concentrating on the drawing. "And I don't want to be the Erudite Leader. I don't want to be what people expect of me."

"What do you want to be Eric?" Jenivieve finishes drawing his lips and completes the drawing but continues to write a note on it.

"I want to have the choice to be whatever I want. To be free from others." Eric watches her finish writing something on the drawing. "What do you want to be Eve?"

Eve closes the cover of her pad and looks Eric in the eyes. "At this present moment, I just want to be older." They look at each other for a few seconds before they start laughing.

"So do I get to see the finished product?" Eric reaches out for the sketch pad. Jenivieve stuffs the pad behind her back between herself and the chair.

"You didn't ask nicely." Jenivieve teases Eric while trying to calm her racing heart.

Eric leaned over the back of his chair and placed his hands on both of Jenivieve's arm rests and leans in to her whisper in her ear. "Do you want me to ask nicely?"

Jenivieve turns her head toward Eric, who is inches from her. "I want…"

"ERIC." Both of them snap their heads to the front of the room when a member from Candor is waiting to take Eric to the room where he will take his Aptitude test.

Eric leans back only slightly before looking back at Jenivieve. "Guess I have to go face my destiny. Will I see you tomorrow before the Ceremony?"

Jenivieve, still mostly speechless from his closeness, simply smiles and nods at him.

"Good." Eric quickly leans down and give her a peck on the cheek before heading down the stairs and following the Candor man.

Jenivieve sits there for a few minutes before standing up and gathers her things. Just as she turns to leave, she notices that Eric left his pack in the chair in front of hers. Suddenly she has an idea. She sets her bags back down and searches through her sketch pad for the picture she just drew of him and the secret message that she wrote.

Quickly before she can change her mind she tears it out and neatly folds in. She picks up Eric's bag and closes it inside the front pocket. She then starts heading to where Eric disappeared down the hall.

When she turns the corner she can see through an open door at the end. Eric is sitting in a medical chair, hooked up to wires. His eyes were closed; he was already in the simulation.

Jenivieve quietly tiptoes to the entrance of the room and just as quietly lays the bag down where Eric will see it when he gets out of the simulation. She sneaks back down the hall and goes to pick up her bag.

Jenivieve reaches her things and picks up her sketch pad to put it back in her bag. When she does, a paper falls out. She bends down to get pick it up and sees that it's an envelope and her name is on the front.

Made it was the Erudite in her but her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the letter without giving it much thought.

**Jenivieve,**

**I doubt that you know who I am. My name is Evelyn. I am your mother. I know you must be confused. And I know you must have a lot of questions. And I can explain everything; tonight! Meet me in the courtyard at Midnight. Don't worry about sneaking out, Andrew will be in his lab. Also, don't tell anyone that you are coming. **

**Remember, midnight sharp.**

**Love always,**

**Evelyn**

Jenivieve hastily sat back down in the chair. She had only ever heard that name once before. It was something her mother said to her the day she died.

"_I think Evelyn for you every day." _Jenivieve had never questioned her mother or asked what she was talking about. The women was very sick.

But now she is putting two and two together. And it's not adding up. This mysterious Evelyn is right about one thing, she does have a lot of questions.

Jenivieve shoves her pad and the letter in her bag and heads to her house to prepare.


	3. Chapter Two - Eric

**A/N: I want thank those who have Reviewed, Favorited, or Followed this story. It makes me very happy to know that someone other than myself enjoys it. And I want to apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up. As some of you know from PMing me, I have not read the entire series yet but I just read the part in Insurgent were Eric dies and let's just say that I have been kind of distraught the last day. But MY ERIC isn't dead so I'll focus on him from now on.**

**Squidgylove: Glad that you like the story so far.**

**Adjh: I don't understand why more people don't have a soft spot for the "bad guy" **

**Readwritereview20: The mother/daughter relationship should be interesting. You'll just have to read the chapter after this one. **

**Dauntlessgirl347: I did to and I am glad that it made sense that she isn't that much younger than Eric but due to her birthday will be one whole year behind him in the Choosing Ceremony. **

**Thanks to the following people for adding Bold Words to their Favorite's List: AzkadelliaBlast94, Shopaholic-Pixxie, tiarna13, BACKINBLACK5612, & Squidgylove.**

**Thanks to the following for adding Bold Words to their Follow List: adjh, tiarna13, BACKINBLACK5612, & Squidgylove. **

Chapter Two

Eric's POV

Eric pushed all thoughts of _Eve_ out of his mind as he followed the elderly Candor man down the hall and into a room that had mirrors facing the center of the room where a reclined chair, like a dentist's, is waiting with a machine next to it. It looks like a place where terrible things happen.

"Don't worry," the man says, "it doesn't hurt." He turns his back to Eric and starts preparing the serum. "Have a seat and get comfortable," he says. "My name is Daniel."

Slowly Eric climbs into the chair and tries to focus on anything but the wires in Daniel's hands. The man says no more as he attaches an electrode to Eric's left temple and one to his right temple. Then the last goes on his own temple. Connecting them both to the machine.

Then he passes Eric a vial of clear liquid. "Drink this," he says.

Eric's Erudite nature gets the best of him. "What is it?" His throat suddenly tightens. "What's going to happen?"

"Can't tell you that. Just trust me." The older man squeezes Eric on the shoulder. Eric closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and tips the contents of the vial into his mouth.

When they open, an instant has passed, but he is somewhere else. Eric stand in the middle of a clearing; surrounded by nothing but thick forest. On the ground at his feet are two baskets. In one is a hunk of raw meet, and in the other, a knife the length of his forearm.

Seemingly form everywhere, a woman's voice says, "Choose."

"Why?" He questions. The Erudite in him running through the scenarios for each choice; always questioning.

"Choose," the voice repeats.

Eric turns off his logic and goes with his gut feeling. He takes the knife.

Just as he does, the baskets disappear. He hears a swig break from behind him. He turns but there is nothing there. Then he hears a growl from his left. He slowly turns toward the sound and is confronted by not one but two malicious looking wolves.

"Great. Guess I know what the knife is for." The wolves split to circle either side of him. He moves back to try to keep them both in front of him.

Two adversaries, one weapon. Eric looked at the two wolves. The one moving toward his left was slightly bigger but the wolf wasn't watching Eric completely. It would move its eyes ever so slightly to the wolf on Eric's right.

Eric looked at this wolf. Slightly smaller than the first wolf, but more vicious. Eric suddenly understood: this was the alpha wolf. The other one answered to him. He knew that from his studies on wild animals.

Eric took a step toward the alpha, who growled louder. Eric noticed the other wolf back away. All he had to do was take them down one at a time without getting killed.

Eric repositions his grip on the unfamiliar object in his hand. The knife feels heavy and solid. Eric takes another step toward the alpha and it leaps on him.

Eric was slight unprepared for the sudden attack and is shoved to the ground by the large animal. In the process one of the animals large claws cut deep into his shoulder. He stifles a cry.

When the two of them reach the ground Eric realizes that the wolf is almost dead weight on top of him. Eric uses his legs to shove the wolf off of him. He had plunged the knife as deep as it would go into the wolf's chest when it struck.

Eric quickly jumped to his feet to face the other wolf but when he turned around he was no longer in the meadow, but a crowded bus. All of the seats are taken leaving Eric to grip one of the poles to keep his balance as the bus moves into the city. Sitting near him is a man with a newspaper.

His face is hidden behind the newspaper; all that is visible are his hands. They are scarred, like he was burned. They are clenching the paper like he wants to tear it to pieces. "Do you know this guy?" He asks and taps the picture of the front with one burned index finger.

Eric knows that he is talking to him but instinctively he looks around him but no one else is paying attention to the burned man. Eric looks back at the newspaper and the picture on the front printed below the title 'Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended!'

Eric knows who the murderer is but doesn't understand why. He decides to say nothing.

"Well?" Eric hears anger in the man's voice. "Do you?"

Eric feels it's a bad idea to acknowledge that he does so he simply continues to ignore the man.

"Do you?" he repeats. Eric shrugs his shoulders. "Well?" A shudder goes through him. He knows his fear is irrational; this man can't really hurt him.

"No, Sir," Eric says, his voice casual. "No idea who he is."

The man stands, and finally Eric can see his face. He wears dark sunglasses and his mouth is bent into a snarl. His cheek is rippled with scars, like his hands. He leans close to Eric's face. His breath smells like cigarettes. "You're lying," he says. "You're lying!"

"I am not." Eric tries to keep his voice low and not to sound angry. I pull myself up straighter.

"If you know him," the man says in a low voice, "you could save me. You could save me!"

Eric narrows his eyes. "Well," he says. "I don't. And the man is already in custody. You don't need saving." Eric takes his eyes off of the man and the bus slowly disappears until everything is pitch-black.

* * *

The man from Candor was typing away on the computer when Eric regained consciousness. The wires hard already been removed for Eric's temples.

"Well, how did I do?" Eric asked as he wiped his sweating palms on his pants.

"You're results were perplexing to say the least." Daniel turned his chair toward Eric and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Perplexing?" Eric questioned him. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's neither a good thing nor a bad thing; it's just perplexing." Daniel rubbed his chin choosing his words carefully before continuing. "Do you know how the simulations work Eric?"

Eric met the older man's eyes and shook his head.

"Typically, each stage of the simulation eliminates one or more of the factions." His eyes bore into Eric's. "You have an Aptitude for Dauntless…" he paused, making sure Eric was paying attention. "And Erudite."

"Two?" Eric ask. His throat became so tight it was hard to talk.

"Since you choose the knife instead of the meat, Amity was ruled out immediately." He took a deep breath before continuing. "The simulation then lead you to another simulation, in this case the bus. And there your insistence upon dishonesty ruled out Candor and Abnegation."

He clears his throat and continues. "Your intelligent response to the wolves indicates strong alignment with the Erudite..."

"Wait," Eric interrupt him. "So are you saying that I failed my aptitude test?"

"Yes and no. My conclusion," he explains, "is that you display equal aptitude for Dauntless and Erudite. People who get this kind of result are rare…" He looks over his shoulder like he expects someone to appear behind him. "… and dangerous."

"Why are they dangerous?" Eric asks, afraid that he already knows the answer.

"Do you know what Divergent is?" Eric cursed.

"Of course I have, I'm the nephew of Jeanine Matthews. There is no way that I am Divergent." Eric stood up can noticed his bag next to the door. He grabbed it.

"I don't choice the results, I just interpret them." The man didn't move a muscle. "And in your case I've interpreted that you have an Aptitude test for Dauntless. And that is want the records will show. You can leave now." Eric didn't even look at the man or thank him. He just left and never looked back.

* * *

Eric walked back to the house where he would be able to think in solitude knowing that his parents would be busy in the lab at Erudite headquarters and that they wouldn't be home until well after he was supposed to be asleep.

Eric went straight to his room and dropped his bag on his bed. There were a million things going through his head.

He knew exactly what a Divergent was and why they were so dangerous to the system. They didn't belong to just one faction. They usually showed qualities for as many as three. That was the risk. That's why his aunt was working on a serum that would single them out from the rest and then they could be quarantined.

Now he was going to be one of those people quarantined. Hidden from the rest of society because they were deemed 'dangerous'.

He didn't feel any different than he did this morning before he had taken the Aptitude test. His day had been completely normal. He had even talked to _her._

_Jenivieve._

His Eve; he had been in the classes as her for almost 5 years and they had never so much as had a single conversation. He was either too busy helping his parents in the lab or she was always studying when he saw her.

He had thought about interrupting her once but he thought better of it when a boy from Candor purposely stumbled into her table, causing her coffee to spill all over her fresh notes. He was half out of his seat to defend her before Angelina had beaten him to it. The Candor boy was in the infirmary with a broken nose but no one very found out what happen.

Eric made up his mind. He would act like nothing was different. He knew what he would choose. And there was only one thing that bothered him about his decision.

He was frustrated, confused, angry, and unsure of his future. The Aptitude Test was supposed to tell you where you belonged, not turned you're upside down. Things are no longer in black and white. Nothing was ever going to be the same again.

And he didn't know if he was making the best decision of his life or the worst. He wanted someone to talk to even though he knew it was against the rules to discuss these matters.

Eric grabbed his backpack from the floor, determined to busy his mind. He only had 12 hours to convince himself that he was making the right choice. When he opened the bag a folder piece of paper fell onto the floor.

He quickly retrieved it quickly and after realizing what it was, he took a seat and looked at it. It was the picture that Eve had drawn. He wondered if he was ever the subject of her drawings before. It was quick remarkable. It resembled him down to the last detail. And at the bottom of the drawing was a note written in her neat hand writing:

_Eric, don't do what people expect you to do. Do what makes you happy. You can be Brave, Honest, Intelligent, Selfless, and Kind. You can be whoever you want to be. Just trust in yourself. _

_Eve_

Eric stuck the note in his pocket and left his house. He had someone to talk to after all. Now he just had to find her.


	4. Chapter Three - Jenivieve

**A/N: I want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. I am sorry that this chapter took so long to get up. But it's a really long chapter. So I hope you enjoy it. And thanks for JerkDestoryer for agreeing to Beta this for me. Thanks for helping me with my tenses. I know I can be a pain.**

**Also, from here on out each chapter will be from 1st person point of view. It will be either Eric's of Jenivieve's. Please look at chapter heading to find out which one. Thanks and please continue to review.**

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Chapter Three

**_Jenivieve's POV_**

I stared at the notes in my hand, still so confused. All thoughts of my conversation with Eric had been pushed to the back on my mind as I walked home from the Hub. And as I suspected when I arrived home, there was a note from my father taped to the fridge that said he would be working late and not to wait up for him. Big surprise there.

I momentarily put the upcoming meeting out of mind as there was a knock on the door. I checked my watch, it was after 8pm. Who could be here this late?

As soon as I answered the door, the knocker came bursting in with her hands on her hips giving me a pointed look.

"Hello Angelina, make yourself at home. Have you eaten? I was about to start dinner." I closed the door and walked past her back toward the kitchen and started preparing a late dinner.

"Don't 'Hello Angelina' me like you don't have anything to tell me. I saw you with Eric before he left for his Aptitude test." Angelina leaned against the counter and nudged my shoulder as I made a salad.

I laughed at her. "It would be like to you to spying on us." I shook my head at her and set both salads on the table.

"So what did you guys talk about? I couldn't here from where I was watching you." She asked as she started in on the salad.

"We talked about Jeanine's offer and what I should expect from it. He gave me his advice on the matter. That's it." I avoid her eyes as I started in on my own salad.

"Really? What about the picture that you drew of him? Can I see it?" I rolled my eyes. How needy was she? I gave her a pointed look.

"No you can't see it because I gave it to him. And even if I hadn't you know I never share my drawings with others. I'm still in shock that I gave it to him." I silently think of the note that I had written along with the actual picture.

"I didn't see you give it to him," Angelina accused with a mouthful of salad.

"When he left for his Aptitude test, he left his bag behind. I hid the drawing in it and left it outside of the room where he was testing. I bet he found the drawing by now," I state as I finished my salad and got up to place the plate in the sink.

"You are absolutely crazy, you know that." Angelina said as she put her plate in the sink next to mine. "And I have looked at your drawings before. He'll think it's amazing."

I just nod my head at her as I wash the dishes and put them in the drying rack. "Can I ask you something Angelina?" I asked as I dried my hands off.

"You know you can ask me anything," she stated like an open book and hopped up on the counter.

"Do you feel confident in your choice tomorrow?" I couldn't look her in the eyes. I knew I had asked a very personal question.

"If you had asked me that yesterday, I would have said yes in a heartbeat." I looked up at her, surprised by her answer.

"And now? What changed?" I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

"The Aptitude Test. There is a reason they don't let you prepare for it. It's not like anything you've ever experience before." She smiled; reassuring me. "I promise you next year, after you've gone through it yourself, we'll discuss it in great detail."

I smiled back at her. "Guess you are not going to give me the inside scoop on the test?" I teased her.

"Only if you tell me what Eric whispered in your ear earlier that cause you to blush?" She teased me right back, trying not to laugh.

"Fine. It's a truce for now. You better get home. It's pretty late." I pointed at the clock on the wall. It was nearly 11 pm. I had to get ready.

"Fine. It's a truce. Until I can force it out of you." She smiled and gave me a hug.

"Not going to ever happen." I told her as I walked her out and closed the door behind her. I quickly ran up the stairs and changed into a dark navy blue long sleeve shirt, black jeans, and navy blue knee high boots. Dark enough to look black at night, but not suspicious. I decided to leave my long hair down. I'm way too nervous to fight with it right now.

I paced for a few minutes at the door before I had decided the pros outweigh the cons which caused me to leave.

I slowly made my way to the courtyard, taking the long way around just to make sure that no one was following me. I was paranoid about being out after curfew. Way after curfew.

There was no one in the courtyard when I arrived, which didn't surprise me much. The rational side of my brain was telling me no one was coming.

"I almost didn't believe that you would come," a voice whispered from behind me, which caused me to jump while sending chills down my spine. I turned to see a silhouette of a woman, who was mostly hidden in the shadows.

"You must be Evelyn," I said and she nodded at me. "I still can't believe that I choose to come." I took a deep breath and cross my arms over my chest. "You had something to tell me?"

"Be patient child. I just want to look at you for a moment." I still couldn't see her completely from where she is standing. This fact made me nervous. "It has been almost 16 year since I have seen you."

"First off, I am not a child. I will be an adult in less than a month." I said while trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. "At least show yourself so I can see you."

"That seems fair," she said. As soon as she stepped out of the darkness and was under the light of the courtyard, I could immediately see the resemblance between us.

We both had the same straight raven hair, high cheekbones, same curved nose, full lips, and she was about the same height as me. Maybe a two inches shorter than me. I was slimmer than her, but she looked muscular rather than overweight.

Suddenly I couldn't breathe. My entire life I had been lied to. I didn't even know who I was.

"I know it's a lot to take in Jenivieve. And I will do my best to answer any questions you might later. Right now I have a request of you." She looked at me with pleading eyes.

"I've never even heard of you before today and suddenly you want me to do you a favor?" I was irritated. Where had she been the last 16 years? Why didn't she raise me? There were a million things running through my head.

"I know its selfish of me ask but you are in a position to help me." Evelyn walked over to the nearest bench and took a seat. "Why don't you sit down so we can talk?"

I looked at the seat next to her and shook my head. "No thanks. I need to pace to remain calm."

"I do that too when I am upset," she stated this as if it confirmed that we were similar. I didn't even know this women.

"Where have you been my entire life? Which Faction do you belong to?" I had a lot of questions and I needed answer before I even considered doing any favor for her.

"I have been hiding. I don't belong to any one faction." Factionless. She was acting like that was perfectly normal.

"You're Factionless?" I asked her in disbelief. To be Factionless was as low as person could get.

"I have been Factionless for about 16 years. We are not as dysfunctional as the Factions would like people to believe. But that is not what I have come to talk to you about." She eloquently folded her hands on her lap. "I hear that you have been offered the position of Personal Assistance to the Leader of Erudite?"

"I don't understand what job offer has to do with anything?" I had not want to talk about my soon to be job.

"It has to do with everything. Jeanine Matthews is not to be trusted. She has plans for the Factions that will hurt a lot of people," Evelyn said while she pulled out a piece of paper from her jacket pocket. "Look at these."

I silently walked over to her and grabbed the paper from her. I scanned the document briefly. It was a formula for a serum, similar to a simulation serum like they use for the aptitude test. "There is something different about this formula, what is it?" I handed her the paper and she stuffed it back inside her pocket.

"There is only one slight difference to it. We didn't notice it at first. Took us weeks to figure it out," she said as she stood up. She then crossed her arms over her chest while facing me. We had the same stubborn stance. "Did you notice the symbol on the bottom of the page?"

"Yes, it was the Dauntless flame. I don't understand what the Dauntless have to do with this? And you still have not told me what's so special about that formula?" I mimicked her posture.

"It has everything to do with the Dauntless. What do the Dauntless do for the other Factions?" she quizzed me.

"They are our protectors. Not just from ourselves but from the unknown that is outside the fence." It was an almost automatic response. City History was one of my favorite classes.

"Exactly; they are trained soldiers. What would happen if someone created a serum that allowed a person to be controlled permanently?" She looks at me knowing that I've reached the same conclusion.

"They would have an army of trained warriors to do whatever they were told and no one would be able to stand in the way." I was in shock. It would mean another war.

"How can I help you?" I don't know what she needs but I know I can't let anyone start another war. No matter what their reasons are.

"I need you to get close to Jeanine. As her personal assistant, she will give you access to information that no one else with have. We need to know when she plans on using this serum on the Dauntless members. And we need to know if there is a way to stop those under the simulation." She had come prepared. Knew exactly what they needed to stop this catastrophe.

"I can try to get the information. What if there is no way to stop those under the simulation?" I knew from my father that someone didn't come out of the simulation until it was over. Not before.

"If we can't stop the simulation then we have to stop the person in the simulation," she stated as if it was a matter of fact.

"You would kill hundreds of Dauntless members to protect the other four Factions? You're Factionless, what does it matter to you?" I wanted to know what she was getting out of this.

"I am protecting my children." I stared at her open mouthed.

"Children? As in plural? Are you telling me that I have a younger sibling?" I was suddenly pissed. I had missed out on so much. Not just to know her. But a sibling!

"Older actually. He is in Abnegation," she cleared her throat and looked at me.

"What is his name?" I had a brother. I had to find out. What if I knew him!

"He is not important right now. We need to worry about Jeanine." I couldn't understand what she was being so cold when talking about him.

"What. Is. His. Name?" I was not leaving here without it. "I will do nothing for you unless you tell me about him."

"His name is Tobias. He doesn't even know you exist," she snapped, clearly irritated with me.

"Tobias Eaton? Does that mean Marcus Eaton is real father?" I had seen the older Eaton before a council meetings. He was one of the Abnegation Leaders.

"No he is not," she suddenly becomes angry. "Marcus is vile, abusive, control freak. I would never have another child with him."

"You're Evelyn Eaton aren't you? I remember your funeral. Does Marcus or Tobias know you are alive?" I have a million questions again. "Did Marcus abuse you?"

"Yes he abused me. The only way I could protect you when I was pregnant was to fake my own death and then leave." She heaves a big sigh. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss Tobias. But I couldn't risk making a child Factionless. He was better off with Marcus."

"Better off with Marcus? Are saying that Marcus beats Tobias?" I must have understood her wrong. No one from Abnegation would do the things that she is saying.

"I've been watching him grow up from afar and I can see the signs of abuse, even if others can't. I couldn't protect him." She hung her head.

"Are you telling me that you left to protect ME but you left him behind to be abused for YEARS?" She didn't meet my eyes. "What kind of mother would do that?" I was suddenly shouting.

"Lower your voice. It's past curfew." She stared at me defiantly. No hint of remorse in her eyes; my eyes.

I could feel the tears coming. I couldn't let her see how easily she had gotten under my skin. "I am leaving now. I will meet you back here in 24 hours, at midnight, and we can discuss further communications." Without giving her time to reply I turned and marched off into another direction.

I couldn't see where I was going. The tears were blinding me. I didn't even know if I was headed in the direction of my home. All I could think about was Tobias.

He was in the same class as me, must be less than a year older than me. He was always quiet, withdrawn. I always assumed it was because he was Abnegation, but now? How bad has he been hurt? How could I not have noticed?

The tears were flowing freely now. I could barely breathe. I stumbled along wherever my feet decided to carry me. I was struggling to keep the sobs held down. I stumbled onto a main street and I knew that my house was only a few blocks from here. I just needed to make it there before I completely broke down.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around my waist and one covered my mouth, cutting off my sobs. I was pulled behind the nearest building. Someone taller than me was holding me against their chest. I started to struggle, forgetting for a moment about Tobias.

"Eve, stop." The hand on my waist tightened, pulling me toward him. I knew the voice. I stopped moving. He slowly removed his hand from mouth and placed it on my shoulder.

"Eric?" My mind couldn't comprehend what was going on. It was suddenly broken.

"Obviously." I could almost hear the smirk that was on his face. "Now be quiet. There are two patrol officers one street over." I thought about his words. They would be on the street that he had just pulled me off of.

We could see the shadows on the street from where we were hiding. When I saw the shadows of the two patrol officers pass, I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. A few minutes had passed and still we remained hidden.

"Um Eric?" I whispered, afraid to make too much noise.

"Yes Eve?" I could feel his breathing on my neck, which give me goose bumps.

"I'm pretty sure they are gone. You can let go now." I was aware of how close we were. He had pulled me right up against him. I could feel the rise and fall of every breath.

"What if I don't want to?" He whispered right into my left ear. My brain became suddenly foggy. I no longer had the ability to make a coherent thought, let alone form it into words. I turned my face to look at him, our faces inches apart. I saw the hint of a smile before his face became serious. "You've been crying. What wrong?" He turned me around so that I was facing him with his arms still around me.

And just like that all the thoughts from the 30 minute conversation came rushing back to me. Along with the emotions to go with them. I couldn't find any words to tell him. I didn't know how to handle this kind of pain. Lucky for me he did. He silently pulled into hug, with my face buried in his chest.

I didn't know how long we stood there. I didn't know how many tears I cried. I didn't know how many sobs were muffled as he held me. I didn't know if I was going to be okay.

I pulled slightly away from him and looked up into his eyes. "Want to walk me home? Maybe you can keep my out of more trouble." I tried to chuckle at my own joke but I didn't have it in me.

"I think keeping you out of trouble is going to be a full time job. But yes I will definitely walk you home." He tucked me under his arm and started heading toward my house. We didn't say anything as we walked. Eric had occasionally squeezed my shoulder to reassure me. My mind wasn't working properly at the moment.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered as we slowly walked down another side street.

"No, not really." I shook my head slowly. "I am kind of interested in knowing what you are doing sneaking around at this time of night?" I had wrapped my arm around his waist as we walked.

He stopped us and turned my face to look at him. "Actually I was coming to talk to you."

Now my Erudite curiosity got the better of me. "Why?"


	5. Chapter Four - Eric

**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm so glad that you love the story so far. Thanks to JerkDestoryer for helping me with this chapter. I'm glad a picked an awesome Beta. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent or Eric. Just my OC. **

Chapter Four

Eric's POV

I had stood there for a few seconds with her chin between my fingers.

"Why?" She stared up at me with eyes that were puffy and red. I couldn't form a coherent thought; I was angry. Angry at whoever made her cry. I hated to see her cry.

"I found the picture." I turned so that she was in front of me. I took a step forward, which forced her a step back. I still held her chin in a firm grip. "I was curious about the girl who drew it." I took a step closer but she had nowhere to go; she was backed up against a house. "I wanted to know how this girl, someone who barely spoke to me my entire life, seemed to know me better then I knew myself?" I released the gentle hold I had on her chin and placed my hands on either side of her head and waited for her reply. The pictured showed the determination that was always in my eyes, this disappointment in some of the bad decisions I had made, she captured me perfectly.

"Simple observation." She whispered as she placed her hands on my chest, not to push me back but to keep me where I am. I don't want her afraid of me, so I take both her hands in mine and take a step back, my grip firm but soft.

"Eve," I look into her eyes. "You want to talk about why you're upset?" I didn't want to talk about the Choosing Ceremony. I didn't want her to know my decision. I wanted to make the right one without her influencing it.

"Eric," She smirked, "you seem to be full of surprises today." She gave my hands a firm squeeze. "No, I don't want to talk about what's going on right now. But I don't really want to be alone either." She gave me a smile.

"Alright," I released one of her hands and used the other to pull her along the house, I knew her house was close now. "Have you ever been on your roof?" I asked as we stopped next to the house I knew was hers. We were standing next to the fire escape.

"Not since before my Mom passed." She whispered, not meeting my gaze. "We used to watch the meteor showers together." She fidgeted from foot to foot. I found it rather cute and distracting at the same time.

"Well, there is a meteor shower tonight." I said as I grabbed her chin again, forcing her eyes to meet my eyes. Her crystal blue orbs kept me from wanting to make the right decision tomorrow. The decision that I knew I had to make. It was the only way to keep myself safe. My mind knew what needed to be done but my heart didn't agree.

"And just how do you plan on getting on my roof?" I laughed as I released her and went to the fire escape. I jumped to grab the ladder. I had expected it to slide down to the ground; but in fact it didn't budge.

_I walked out of the building looking for her. Her absence wasn't really noticed but I was worried about her. _

_I quickly scanned the crowd that was gathered outside, all waiting to pay their respects to her mother, Vivian Johnson. I couldn't imagine losing someone that close to me. Then again my parents and I were not close. I couldn't imagine what she was feeling. _

_I started heading to her house, I had good idea of where she was. _

_The streets of Erudite were practically empty today. Everyone was at the funeral. _

_I rounded the corner of the street, I could see Jenivieve's from here. I headed toward the house that was two down from hers. I didn't know who lived there but it didn't matter since I wasn't going inside. _

_I headed toward the back of the house where the fire escape was. I looked at the ladder, it was all the way up. I'd have to jump to get it to come down. I didn't want to ruin my suit jacket so I took it off and laid it on the ground before jumping to grab the ladder. _

_As I grabbed hold the ladder slid down to the ground, making it much easier to climb up. When I reached the top of the fire escape I pulled myself onto the roof. I kept myself low so that I couldn't be seen. _

_I moved toward the side of the roof that would allow me to see her roof. And she was just where I expected her to be, on the top of her own roof. I had heard her talk about watching meteor showers up there before. It was her safe place. _

_I sat down on the edge of roof, crouching, so that she wouldn't be able to see me. I watched as she cried over her mother's death. A big part of me wanted to go and comfort her. But the rational side of me said that would be inappropriate since we didn't know each other outside of school. _

_So I stayed where I was, watching over her. Silently unwilling to let her be alone in her pain. _

_I cried for her. For the mother that I wished I had._

"It's not going to work Eric." She laughed behind me, clearly amused by the sight of me dangling from the ladder. "My dad has it locked from the top. Only slides down when unlock by someone from the top."

I dropped back down and looked behind me. Her face revealed that she has a smile on her face. I know it would be easier to just go through her house and climb out the window; but where is the fun in that?

"Come here." I waved her over, she was still smiling when she came to stand beside me. I stood under the ladder and placed my hands together to boost her up. "Place your foot in my hands. I'll push you up."

With an eye roll she placed her hands on both my shoulders, using me for balance, and placed her right foot in my laced fingers. She looked down into my eyes and when I knew she was ready I pushed off the ground. Both her hands grabbed the bottom of the ladder. I unlaced by hands, still holding her right foot, and grabbed her left as well. I gave her a push and she easily pulled herself onto the ladder and over on the first landing.

Eve turned and smiled down at me. I motioned for her to make room for me. I jumped and grabbed the bottom of the ladder. I pulled myself over the railing just as she sprinted up the escape and hopped onto the roof. I followed quickly behind her.

"How did you know where I lived?" She asked as we both sat on the flat roof. We laid on our backs, side by side, staring up into the sky. It was clear tonight, a good night for a meteor shower. The stars glowed like Eve's eyes, but Eve's eyes were in fact brighter than the stars ever would be. Her whole face always glowed like the sun. So much that all the planetary configuration was jealous of her luminous beauty.

I remember when she used to ride my bus. She'd give the bus driver a grin, with her glowing smile that could light up a room, and then sit down with Angelica, her best friend. Not noticing me, noticing and admiring her beauty. I'd always watch her get off the bus in the evening. I memorized where her house was, always wanting to stop by after school.

"We used to ride the same bus home from school." I answered as I placed one hand under my head. The other laid against my side, so close to hers that I could feel the soft fabric of her sweater against my arm.

We sat like that for what felt like hours but I knew it had only been minutes. "So you liked my drawing?" She whispered.

I laughed softly. "I assume that is the not the first one you've drawn of me?" I turned my head toward her. I could tell from the photo and the small amount of time in which it had taken her to draw it that I had been the inspiration for her drawings before.

"Why would you think that?" She laughed as her eyes met mine. We both laughed quietly before looking back at the night sky. "What can I say? You have one of those faces."

I chuckled again. "I don't know if that is a compliment or not." I turned on my side, facing her. She tilted her head toward me.

"Definitely a compliment." I moved a strand of hair that was covering her face as she said this. I smiled down at her. My hand lingered on her cheek.

"Eric." Her eyes searched mine. Whatever she saw in my eyes must have been good because she smiled up at me.

I smiled back as I lowered my lips to hers. There may have not been another chance to do this after tomorrow. I didn't care if that made me selfish. I was brave.

She placed her hand on my chest and gave me a little shove, just hard enough for me to pull back. She smiled at me. "What are you doing here Eric?" She turned so that she was on her side facing me with her head propped up on her hand.

"I really did just come to talk." I quickly placed a kiss on her lips.

"Really?" She surprised me by kissing me again. She had a big smile on her lips as she pulled back. "You could have fooled me." Her face gave off a childish grin. The type a toddler gets when you give him a new toy car. Happy that it just happened to be there. She was happy I was here with her.

"Honestly," I said with a laugh, "I just wanted to see you before tomorrow." I said as I placed my hand on her side and pulled her closer.

"Aptitude test that bad?" She placed her hand on my arm, her hand was cold against my warm skin but it felt good.

"See I told you that you knew me better than I knew myself." Could I really give this up? For the first time in a long time, I felt happy.

"_Eric." I heard my mother's voice from downstairs. She had found the letter that one of the professors sent._

"_Yes Mother?" I asked as I came down the stairs, pretending not to know what she was about to say. _

"_How are you failing two classes?" I could tell that she was furious. I didn't have an answer for her. "You are the son of two of the smartest people in Erudite." I had heard this before. There was nothing I could do to earn their love and respect. At some point I had stopped trying. I had stopped explaining why I couldn't do it. It wasn't my fault after all. I just wasn't cut out for Erudite. _

"_Well, what do you have to say for yourself Son?" I didn't hear my father come out of his office. I had thought he was still at Erudite Headquarters. I stiffened, waiting for his out lash. True to his nature he walked over to me and back handed me across the face. _

_The force behind the hit had me taking a few steps back. I almost lost my balance and ended up on the floor. I knew better than to appear that vulnerable to him. To both of them._

"_What do you have to say for yourself Eric?" My father growled into my ear. He was livid. _

"_I will do better." I forced through clenched teeth. I wasn't going down without an act of defiance. He wanted me to be submissive. I couldn't do it. That's when the beatings would get worse. I learned if I stood up for myself, he backed off. _

"_You better. You have two weeks to get the grades up or else." He back handed me again with his other hand and stormed off to his office with my mother in tow. I quietly made my way back to my room and locked the door._

"I'm not going to ask about your results. We'll just have to wait until after the ceremony to see if I was right." She brought me out of my thoughts. She sounded so confident. She had faith in me.

"What faction do you think I am going to choose?" I was honestly curious to hear what she thought I was going to do tomorrow.

"Well I can't tell you that. It would make your choice biased." She squeezed my arm before she laid back down and gazed back up at the stars. I turned to see that the meteor shower had already started.

"I'm going to miss this." I whispered.

"I know. Me too." She reached over and grabbed my hand. Something about the way her hand felt in mine felt so right, like it was meant to be. The warmth radiating from her hand, mixed with the always cold from mine was just absolutely perfect. My life felt complete, for me to be holding her hand right now. It was as perfect as it could ever be. We stayed like that for a while, hand in hand, until we both couldn't fight sleep anymore. After one more kiss, we said good night.


	6. Chapter Five - Jenivieve

**A/N: I would like to thank the following people for following Bold Word: **

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**~Dane**

**Disclaimer: I do no own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know.**

* * *

Chapter Five

Jenivieve's POV

I woke up to a loud knock on my bedroom door. I quickly sat up and looked at my alarm clock. It was just passed 8:30am. We were supposed to be at the Hub at 9.

"Jenivieve get up." I heard my father yell from the other side of the door followed by another loud knock. "As a Leader of Erudite, I can't have my daughter being late to a Choosing Ceremony."

"Alright Dad. I'm up." I shouted as I rolled out of bed. "I'll be down and ready to go in 5 minutes." I headed to my closet, I could hear his footsteps receded down the hall.

I mentally reprimanded myself for sleeping so late. It was almost 3 in the morning when Eric and I parted ways. Him to go home and get what sleep he could before the Choosing Ceremony.

I had planned on going straight to sleep when I finally suck back in. My mind had other plans. Between everything that Evelyn said and everything that happened between Eric and me, it was not wonder that I could not sleep.

I slipped into the blue dress that I had selected for today. It wasn't fancy, just a simple navy blue dress with quarter sleeves and a hem that stopped above the knee. I slipped into black flats, since only Erudite adult women were allowed to wear heels. It should sophistication. I honestly thought they looked uncomfortable.

With a quick glance in the mirror I quickly ran a brush through my hair and then I headed downstairs.

My father waited for me by the front door, clearly he had been ready for some time.

"I apologize father." I said as I walked passed him out the door. There were still quite a lot of members walking toward the Hub. We were not late but we were not as early as I would have liked to be.

When we entered the Hub, most of the five Factions were already seated. I quickly scanned the Abnegation section, looking for Marcus Eaton. His face I was more familiar with since he was the most respected Leader of Abnegation. I quickly found him, in the front row with his Faction, but I barely lingered on him.

Tobias sat to the right Marcus. He was tall and his hair, cut short like those in Abnegation, was a light color. He sat facing the front, he waited patiently to get this day over with. I watched him, wondering if I could see the abuse that I knew he must have been hiding. He hid it so well. He sat tall, straight. He did not appear weak, not in front of so many people.

I had to help him. I did not know how but I needed to. He was raised in Abnegation, that and his abuse would only make him want to protect people. I would feel the same way if I had been in his position. But he would never be rid of his father. I felt helpless.

I must have been staring for too long. Tobias lifted his head and his eyes met mine. It was only for a fraction of a second but it was long enough for me to offer a slight smile. A kindness in the dark. I would help him. Somehow.

My father grabbed me by the elbow and lead me toward our seats in the front of the Erudite section. Jeanine Matthews was already seated in the front row on the far right, next to who I assumed were her brother and his wife. Eric sat on the left of his mother and like Tobias he was looking straight ahead.

My father led us over to where the Matthews' sat. I silently lowered myself into the seat next to Eric. My father walked over to Jeanine and started a conversation. I couldn't hear them over the humming of many conversations.

I bumped my knee against Eric's. I gazed at him out of the corner of my eye. He turned his head to look at me. The smile that broke across his face left me breathless.

"How did you sleep last night?" Eric whispered as he shifted in his seat so that he was slightly leaning toward me.

"Good. I apparently forgot to set my alarm this morning." I stated as I straightened my skirt over my crossed legs. "Someone thought it was a good idea to watch the meteor shower." I whispered back at him. We both smiled.

"Eric, honey." A voice sang from Eric's other side. "Why don't you introduce your friend?" I leaned to look around Eric at his mother. His back was still toward her. I saw the look that crossed his face. I didn't know what the emotion was that was behind the look but I didn't like it.

Before Eric could answer I reached over him and extended my hand toward his mother. "Hello I'm Jenivieve Johnson. You must be Eric's mother."

She had a surprisingly firm grip. "Jenivieve? Jeanine's new assistant?" She raised an inquiring eyebrow at me.

"I do have an interview with her tomorrow for the position." I said as she released my hand.

"Well why don't you join Eric for dinner tonight at our house?" She stated as she patted Eric on the knee. "It would be a delight to have such young inquisitive mind to discuss topics with." She smiled at us and turned her attention back to the conversation that her husband and my father were having. She knew that I couldn't refuse to join them.

My eyes met Eric's. We both were thinking that same thing. She assumed that Eric wouldn't defect. I hadn't asked him which Faction he would choose but I knew that he wouldn't stay in Erudite. And that broke my heart.

I looked around the room for Tobias again. He hadn't moved at all. He stared at the five bowls on the stage. His face deep in concentration.

I notice how quiet it got when my father took his seat next to mine. Marcus Eaton stood up to make a speech. Abnegation was in charge of the Choosing Ceremony this year.

Marcus stood at the podium behind the Choosing Bowls. "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world."

I try to listen to what he is saying. My concentration is split between him and Eric. Eric's hand firmly grasped mine and squeezed. I knew he needed comfort. I didn't want to comfort him. If I comfort him I'm hurting myself.

I squeezed Eric's fingers as hard as he was squeezing mine. "Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." Marcus's voice was serious and gives equal weight to each word.

"Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political philosophy, religious belief, race, or patriotism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human nature—of humankind's preference toward evil." Before yesterday I would have thought his speech was inspirational for coming from a Leader of Abnegation. Now, the site of him made me sick to my stomach.

"They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray." My eyes shifted to the bowls in the centered behind Marcus. What did I believe?

"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity." The Amity exchanged smiles. They were dressed comfortably, in red or yellow. Every time I saw them, they seemed kind, loving, and free.

"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." I looked at my own Faction. Many of the members were nodding their heads along as Marcus spoke.

"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor." Candor faces stared at Marcus showing emotions of agreement. You could always tell what a Candor felt, they didn't hide their emotions. That would be lying.

"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation." I had never really paid attention to Abnegation before today. They were good at going unnoticed unless needed. I made it my goal to get closer to Tobias. Learn what it's like for him.

"And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless." I think about what Evelyn said the night before about eradicating Dauntless unless I discover a way to stop the simulation. I look at the many faces of Dauntless. What would happen if I can't find the right answer? Will they all die? I forced those thoughts from my mind. I couldn't think about failing.

"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be sufficiently summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, and we find life. Faction before blood. More than family, our factions are where we belong." Marcus continued, "Apart from them, we would not survive."

I hold on to Eric. Silently letting him know that I was here for him. I would always be here for him. Marcus continued, "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion—the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world." A round of applause. It sounded muffled.

I watched as one initiate after another was called up to the bowls. Their choices don't register with me. Tobias' name was called. I held my breath. He walked up to his father with a posture of deviance. He grabbed the knife from Marcus, his eyes never leaving his father's gaze as he sliced his palm and a sizzling sound filled the silent room.

He chose Dauntless. I let out the breath that I was holding but I still couldn't breathe. He couldn't choose Dauntless. He didn't know what he was getting himself into. He was going to get himself killed or worse be Factionless. Thoughts of helping my brother ran through my head so fast I had stopped listening to the ceremony.

Eric nudged me with his elbow. He must have known that I wasn't paying attention. I looked up in time to see Angelina grab the knife from Marcus. She turned around slightly and her eyes met mine. She gave me a sad smile and mouthed "I'm sorry". She suddenly turned back and sliced her palm over the Dauntless coals. I didn't even hear the sizzling sound over the roar of the Dauntless crowd. My body was suddenly numb.

Tobias chose Dauntless. Angelina chose Dauntless. The people I considered family had left me. Granted Tobias didn't even know I existed. But Angelina? I couldn't wrap my head around it. A few silent tears escape me. I quickly wiped them away with my free hand and tried to turn my mind off.

Then Eric slipped his hand out of mine and the cold air on my palm made me realize that his name had been called. I needed air. I couldn't breathe. Eric made his way to Marcus. I couldn't see his face, his back was toward me. I could see the stress in his body.

He drew the knife across his palm and the sound of sizzling filled the room once again. My sudden gasp was muffled by the shouts and stomps of the Dauntless as Eric made his way to sit with his new Faction.

I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I quickly wiped them away as fast as I could. Eric didn't need to know how upset his choice made me. I couldn't let him see me break. But it didn't matter. He never looked at me.

When the ceremony was over the Dauntless was the first Faction to leave. He never turned at looked at me and then he was gone. Eric, Tobias, and Angelina. They were all gone. I was utterly alone. Unwanted. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself.

_I sat by mother's side. I had been by her side every day after school. She refused to let me skip school, no matter how bad she got, I was not allowed to miss one class._

_I grabbed her cold hand in my warm one. She was so cold now. I thought about getting another blanket but I didn't want to move. I didn't get enough time with her._

_I closed my eyes and leaned my head against our joined hands. I felt her move and I snapped my head up to gaze at her. She was awake._

_"My sweet Jenivieve." She coughed out. She was so sick. I wanted to cry. There was nothing I could do to make her comfortable._

_"Hi Mom." I whispered, not trusting my voice to remain steady. I knew it would break if I tried to speak louder._

_"How were classes today?" She breathed out between coughs. "Did you meet any nice boys?"_

_I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at her. She hated that. "Mom, I'm 14 not 20. There will be plenty of time after my Choosing Ceremony to worry about boys." I give her hand a light squeeze. "Besides there is no point getting attached to someone now who might just defect. Then I would be left all alone." I laugh lightly._

_"Oh my sweet Eve." She only called me Eve when we were alone, just the two of us. "You will never be alone. You will always have your friends, your family, and your faction." She coughed again. I reached over to the table and grabbed her glass of water and helped her sip it. "Beside any boy would be crazy to leave you behind."_

_"I know Mom. I just have more important things in my life right now." I smiled down at her as I moved a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "Like making sure you get better so you can make sure that I am never alone."_

_She smiled up at me and pulled me into an embrace that I wasn't sure should was strong enough for and whispered. "I will never leave you alone. I will always be here with you."_

I opened my eyes. I was still sitting at the Hub. My mother lied to me that night. That was the night that she died.

I look around. The Dauntless had left. My friends had left. My brother had left. I didn't know who my father really was. She was wrong about this too. I was, for the first time in my life, completely and utterly alone.

I quickly made my way back to my house. I couldn't let anyone see me cry. I couldn't let anyone know how defeated I felt. So alone.


	7. Chapter Six - Eric

**Disclaimer: I do no own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know.**

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Chapter Six

Eric's POV

Her hand in mine was reassuring. She was my rock. Her presence made me stronger. I watched as the Leader of Abnegation strolled over to the Choosing Bowls. Him just standing there caused the whole room to fall silent.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world."

I tuned him out. I cannot concentrate on what he is saying. I hold Eve's hand tightly. I know I am being selfish by letting her get close to me. But I don't care. She is my only brightness in the dark existence that is called life.

She had no idea what is going to happen today. I thought about her drawing, the one that was in my pocket. She gave me the courage to be brave. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to protect myself. I was Divergent and I knew how dangerous that was to Jeanine. No one who was Divergent was safe.

I needed to get into my new Faction and be noticed. I could hide. That would not protect me. I needed recognition. And recognition meant attention; and attention meant authority. And authority was power. And power meant protection. It was as simple as that. In order to protect myself and those I care about I needed power. And that started with recognition.

A name is called that I am not familiar with but Eve's hand tightens in mine. I bring my attention back to the boy as he headed toward the stage. He was an Eaton. I had seen his father at Council meetings. I didn't know why he interested Eve. I snuck a look at her but she was mesmerized by this Eaton boy. It irritated me.

My eyes were still locked on her when I heard the sizzling sound. I snapped my head toward the front of the room at the same time that the Dauntless erupted in outbursts of joy. The Abnegation boy defected to Dauntless. A leader's son defected. I hid a smile. My name wouldn't be the only one discussed today.

I snuck another look at Eve and I caught a glimpse of alarm and panic cross her face before she reined in her emotions. What was so special about this Abnegation kid? Her grip on my hand never lessened. I was equal parts of curious and irritated.

I turn back toward the ceremony and I see Eve's friend Angelina stand up. She was just called. I nudge Eve with my elbow. She is still deep in thought about the Eaton boy. She barely looked at me before her eyes moved to the front of the room.

I look back at Angelina just as she turned and mouthed something to Eve. I didn't catch was she said but by the way that Eve stiffen suddenly I have a pretty good idea on what is about to happen.

Seconds pass before I hear the sizzling sound before it is quickly drowned out by the exuberant cries from the Dauntless members. Angelina had chosen Dauntless.

I all of a sudden regret making my decision to leave Erudite. I had made the decision to leave so that I could protect myself as well as others. I knew that it would hurt Eve's tremendously but I also knew that she would have friends and family here to help her.

Now Angelina, her best friend, was gone. They would never see each other again. How could I do leave and make her pain twice as strong? I squeezed her hand tighter. I couldn't change my decision now. My life very well may depend on it.

I was shaken from my thoughts as my name was called. I slipped my hand out of Eve's, she seemed to have still be lost in thought. I saw her head turn toward me as I stood up and made my way toward the front.

I took the knife that was offered and slid it across my palm without a moment of hesitation. My hand hovered over the coals of Dauntless for a few seconds before the sizzling sound could be heard once again in the silent room.

Once again the side of the room filled with Dauntless erupts in over joyous shouts. I made my way over to my new Faction. I was clapped on the back and my shoulder was squeezed multiple times before I took my seat. My eyes never once found hers. It was better that way. She would never understand. I could never explain it to her. It was better if she hated me. The pain would lessen faster if she did.

I sat next to the Eaton boy. I recalled thinking how I, as an Erudite born, chose Dauntless as being the worst decision ever, but I was wrong. Choosing Dauntless as an Abnegation is worse. This is definitely going to be widely talked about. This won't go unnoticed.

I study him. His all gray clothes, his short haircut. It just screamed Abnegation. But his eyes; they look so focused and so sure. He looked cut out for Dauntless. Plus he is tall. He looked tough, like he doesn't break easily.

"Eric" I say, introducing myself. I looked at the boy next to me.

He just nods. There's a clear lack of interest in his face. He clearly didn't come here to make friends. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're a stiff, I see? I have to ask...why Dauntless?" I'm both curious about why anyone from Abnegation would defect to Dauntless. I am also interested because of Eve's reaction. How did she know this stiff and why did she care?

"Why does it matter?" He asked this as if it weren't a question, but more of a statement.

Angelina is on the other side of me. She isn't crying. She wouldn't be Dauntless if she was. She looks at me and I knew we are both thinking about the same person. I clasped my hand on her shoulder and gave a squeeze. There was nothing we could do now. We needed to watch out for ourselves.

Angelina nodded at me and I removed my hand.

And then before I know it, everyone is running hopelessly, followed close by the person behind them. I breathe in a feeling of freedom as we all make our way to the moving train. This gets me excited. All thoughts of Eve are pushed from my mid. The feeling is liberating.

But then I came to the realization that I was about to jump onto a moving train. I felt an instantaneous rush of adrenaline and fear. I couldn't shake the feeling of fear.

I glanced over at Eaton to see if he was at ease. He seemed calm. I remembered the choosing ceremony, and how he looked so fixated. That is how he is now.

Eaton got on right before me and I noticed that he made it look effortless. I hoisted myself onto the train with some difficulty. I turned to look for Angelina. She was still right behind me. She grabbed a hold of the railing and pulled herself up. Her foot slipped on the edge of the door.

I instinctively reached my hand out and grabbed her free arm and wrenched her in. We both went sprawling onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. Angelina pushed herself off of me. She quickly got to her feet and offered me a hand up.

I laughed as I let her help me. "I couldn't let you become Factionless. Jenivieve would never forgive me." I whispered as we moved to the side of the train car.

"Thank you Eric." She looked like she had more to say but didn't continue. She walked over to a group of girls, some from Erudite. We weren't friends. But I still wouldn't have let her fall. I can't let her fail. For Eve.

I stood against the wall with my arms folded taking everything and everyone in. Pretty soon, all of us will put away our blue, or black and white, or gray, or red and yellow in exchange for black. The thought was exhilarating.

I'm done with Erudite. Done with the books and done with the intellectual conversations at the dinner table. I'm done with never being enough for them. I'm sure others were feeling the same.

The Dauntless leader then tells us we will have to jump off soon. A few Dauntless born were the first the jump. I looked for the Eaton boy. For the first time today the expression on his face was not calm. He looked absolutely terrified. He must be scared of heights.

I didn't know what he was important to Eve. As far I knew from school they had never spoken to each other and Factions rarely mixed outside of Leadership. I had the sudden urge to be better than him, to prove that I was more important that he was. I may never even see Eve again. But knowing that she may like this stiff made me furious. I would be better than him.

I turned at looked for Angelina. Her eyes met mine at the say exact moment I found her. She had been watching me. I nodded for her to go before me. There wasn't much I could really do to help her. She had to make the jump by herself.

I watched as she took a running start from across the door and leaped across to the roof. It was as least 7 feet across and if you missed it was a 20 foot drop to you death. She landed in a tuck and roll safely on the roof. I quickly followed suit, landing right next to her. We both grinned and joined the rest of the initiates as more continued to jump.

When everyone, well most since one boy from Candor didn't jump at all, landed from the train and onto the building we now stood on the top of, I took a moment to look around. People looked absolutely terrified. I found Eaton at the back of the group still looking completely petrified. He had made the jump despite his fear. I turned my attention to the Dauntless Member that was waiting for us on the roof.

"After jumping off of this building into the hole that awaits you at the bottom, you will see the Dauntless compound for the first time. If you're scared, I highly suggest you get over it. Don't think; your mind will interfere. Just do." More jumping. I was not surprised. Good thing I didn't have a fear of heights.

No one moved. Everyone sort of looked around. People were whispering; betting on what awaits us at the bottom- its water one irritating Candor girl spats.

Someone moved from the left of me. I turn to see Angelina walk toward the edge of the roof. She climbed on the ledge and looked down. She didn't appear afraid. She took deep breath and jumped. Out of my view. I hear someone shout "First jumper - Angel!'

I suddenly felt that _Angel_ was going to be alright. I still knew I'd help her if I could but I had to help myself first. I stagger forward to give myself a proper view of the bottom. It's too dark to see beyond the hole. But I didn't wait. I climbed onto the ledge right after Angel. And I actually followed the guy's advice. Don't think, just do.

Second jumper. I flung myself off the ledge of the building and landed hard on a net. Not too terrible. Angel and the Dauntless leader are waiting beside the net.

"First jumper?" he says. "Impressive. And a girl to boot." He had a deep laugh. "First jumpers… They sort of just stick in our minds. Smooth landing as well. We've got our eyes on you,' he says with a smile. She had a look of satisfaction. The leader then turned to me. "Welcome to Dauntless." The words were comforting. I recognized the scream of the Candor girl as she come down behind me. I grin as others begin jumping from the building.

Much to my irritation Eaton had jumped. He was one of the last people to jump. There was only two people after him. Each person gave their names to the Dauntless leader as he helped them off the net. I hadn't been listening to the other initiate's names but I was listening now. Tobias. His name was Tobias. I would watch him in training and I would beat him.

Let initiation begin.


	8. Chapter Seven - Jenivieve

**A/N: I want to give big shout out to JerkDestoyer for helping with the dialog between Jeanine and Jenivieve. And also because she is an awesome Beta.**

**Once again thank you for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Next chapter is Eric's first day of Initiation. **

**Also I have created a new Divergent Forum. Its for chatting, getting help on a fic, or just goofing off. Please check out my profile for the link.**

**Disclaimer: I do no own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know. And I would probably share him with readwritereview20. If she asked nicely.**

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**Chapter Seven**

**Jenivieve's POV**

I collapsed on my bed. I had cried the whole way to my house. I was lucky, nearly everyone was still at the Hub.

I shoved my face in my pillows, wanting to silence the sobs that escape. The world became darkness. The ceremony played over and over in my head. Angelina going here last night. What did she say?

_"If you had asked me that yesterday, I would have said yes in a heartbeat."_

She had come right out and told me that she didn't belong here. She was looking at me for a sign that I agreed with her. I hadn't even been paying attention to her. My mind of was filled with Eric and Evelyn. Now my best friends was gone and I never got to say goodbye.

I didn't get to say goodbye to Tobias either. Until last night I didn't even know I had a brother and now I would never get to know him.

I held back a sob as Eric's face comes into my mind. Two days ago I didn't even think he knew my name. Now all I could remember were the feel of his lips on mine, soft but rough. The feel of his hands on me, warm but tough. I honestly never thought he would defect. The way he had been acting. I thought there was something between us.

Clearly I was wrong. I should have been good with people leaving without saying goodbye. But it still didn't stop the pain.

_I had been sitting by my mother's side for almost their entire day when my father came and relieved me. "Go get some sleep sweetheart. I will stay with your mother tonight."_

_I looked up at my father standing in the doorway. I was too tired to fight with him tonight. Mom's condition had gotten worse but the doctor's assured us that she would make a full recovery. I just wanted to be there when she woke up._

_"Okay Dad, but you'll come get me right away if anything changes?" I said as he made his way over to where I was seated. I got up to give my seat._

_"Of course Honey. Now I want you to go get some sleep and you are going to school tomorrow. If anything changes I'll pull you out." I smiled down at my father before I bent down and kissed him on the forehead._

_"I love you Dad." I turned and walked out of the room, his 'I love you too' muffled by the sound of the door closing._

_I got one of the best nights of sleep that night. And I went to school the next day without complaining. The day was no different than any other. But when I got home, I knew that every day after would never be the same._

_My mother had died in the middle of the night and no one had called me. She had been gone for over 12 hours and I had been acting like everything was alright. Everyone had been telling me it was going to be alright. I had believed them._

_But she left me. They lied to me. I was alone._

I can't let myself think like that. I push the thoughts from my head. I have to be strong. If not for myself, then for Tobias, Eric, and Angelina. They don't know what is going on. Quite frankly neither did I. But I knew it had something to do with Jeanine and Evelyn. Both people I could get close to and find out.

Evelyn was worried about Jeanine using the Dauntless for her own purposes, whatever those might be. And Evelyn was worried about not being able to control the Dauntless. She would kill them if it meant protecting herself.

I got off my bed, my sobs had stopped. No more tears were streaming down my face. I looked in the mirror over my dresser and I barely recognized the girl staring back at me.

She had the same pale skin from too many days spent inside. She still had the same round face, high cheek bones, green eyes, and brown hair that was usually perfectly straight. All the crying had turned my cheeks red and my hair was frizzy from where I had been laying on it. My eyes were a brighter green than normal, from the tears. I walked into the bathroom and splashed water on my face. Satisfied when it no longer looked like I had been crying, I pulled the comb through my hair to get it to lay flat again.

My friends and family may not be here. I may appear alone. But I could help them. I had to help them. I would do everything in my power to save them from whatever was coming.

I straightened my shirt and I went downstairs to find my father sitting in the living room. He was not alone. Jeanine Matthews was with him.

"Father," I nodded to him. "Ms. Matthews." They were seated together on the couch. I had obviously interrupted their conversation but neither seemed upset. I took a seat in the chair opposite to them.

"Jenivieve," he only glanced at me briefly before turning back to Jeanine. "Jeanine and I were just discussing you." That didn't really surprise me. I was after all offered the position of Personal Assistant.

"Indeed we were." Jeanine stood up straightening her skirt before continuing. "We were discussing your new position. Would you like to accompany me for lunch so that we can discuss things further?" She indicated toward the door, where through the window I could see her car waiting. She was being polite by asking but she didn't plan on me saying no. And she was right.

"I would like that very much, thank you." I say as I turn and slide my jacket off its hook and onto my shoulders. "Will my father be joining us?"

"No. It's just going to be the two of us." She gestured for me to go first through the door and I did. As we stepped outside the driver opened the door for us.

I slid across the back seat, leaving room for Jeanine. She climbed in without a word. The driver quickly shut the door and proceeded to his own seat.

As we made our way closer to Erudite Headquarters I had expected Jeanine to make small talk but the ride was silent. It was an uncomfortable silence. I needed to think about what I was going to say. I needed this woman to trust me.

Before long we pulled up into the back of Erudite Headquarters. The driver opened the door for us. We slid out of the car, with the driver shutting the car door behind us.

Jeanine started walking, and I took the hint to follow her. She led me through the doors of the Erudite compound finally stopping at what appeared to be a diner. The sign read "Ab Erudio Abitio" which was Latin for 'The Erudite Place'.

A waiter came up to us. "The usual place?" The waiter asked. Her hair was all neatly pinned up in a bun, with a pencil behind her ear.

I looked at Jeanine, who simply nodded her head.

"Certainly Ms. Matthews," she said, leading us past people eating scones, salmon and lobster. She opened a door, which Jeanine walked through. It was a private room, with two chairs and a table positioned in between. There was two plates with salmon sitting on the table, with scones in between them. There was two water glasses, a lemon slice on each glass.

Jeanine took a seat in one of the chairs, and I took a seat in the other. I balled my hands up in fists, nervous about messing this whole interview up. I looked up at Jeanine, and she was looking me straight in the eyes.

"I can tell you're nervous Jenivieve." I quickly relaxed my fists, scared that I was going to blow this whole thing. "You know how many other people I picked out for this position?"

She was messing with my head. She was basically saying I was screwing this whole thing up by being nervous, or what I thought. "No one," she said.

I felt my shoulders relax. "Really?" I questioned.

"Yes. You must know that you are my only option of this position. No one else has the characteristics that you have, that I need. You happen to be the perfect fit for the positioned." She had to be joking. There was no way.

"Are you serious?" I questioned.

"Yes." she said. "But-" that was the exact word I was dreading. Conditions needed to be addressed. "I would like to ask you some questions to get to know you." So this was an interview.

"I would be pleased in answering the questions Ms. Matthews." I said.

"You can call me Jeanine. Ms. Matthews has too much formality to it. We need to be friends and partners." I nodded my head, and she continued. "Who are your closest friends?"

Was this a trick? Was I supposed to say her? "Angelina." I said.

"Anyone else?" she asked.

"Not really." Eric came to mind. I didn't want to think about him. Especially since he is her nephew.

"Any close male friends?" I am taken back momentary. Her questions were personal. But I wanted her to trust me.

"Eric." I whispered, I looked at my hands in my lap.

"And they're are both gone now, does that make you sad?" Jeanine had picked up the knife and fork, she started on the salmon and waited for my reply.

"Generally speaking I don't let people get close to me very easily. But since were the only people close to me besides my dad, then yes I am sad that they are gone." I know that I have to be somewhat truthful with her. I needed her to let me in. I needed to know what she had planned.

"You seemed generally surprised by their choices today." She does not look up from her plate as she points this out.

"Yes I was quite shaken up." I mimicked her and started on my own lunch. I wasn't really hungry but it kept my hands busy.

"Statistically speaking you should have known one of them was going to defect." Again she said this without looking up at me.

"Deep down I knew, but the logical part of my brain couldn't comprehend what they were about to do." I answered her as logically as I could before taking another bite of the salmon.

"If I would have told you yesterday that one of your friends were going to defect, would you have thought of Eric or Angelina?" This is a test. She wanted to know where my loyalties were.

"No. I would have never thought that either one of my only friends would have left me all alone." It's a lie but I know what she wants to here. "I can't fathom the idea of leaving Erudite. It has been my home since birth and I will never leave here. I can't leave my father all alone like they left me." I put venom in my words, hoping that she take it as anger toward them.

"Does it bother you that they both left you alone?" She was testing me again.

"Yes." I felt an emptiness inside of me, knowing that I am truly alone for the next year.

"If it was my life on the line, would you kill one of them?" My heart sank, but I knew what answer she was looking for.

"Yes." My voice was firm, reassuring her that I indeed believed in Faction before Blood.

"Well I'm not going to ask you to do that. I just need to know where your loyalties are. I need to know your loyalties are with me." I suddenly knew what she wanted. It all made sense. She wanted to know if I'd be willing to kill Divergents for her.

Being one of the top students in the school and the daughter of one of Erudite's smartest scientist gave me access to material that would otherwise be hidden from the public view. I had seen reports in my father's office about Divergent. They feared people who were considered Divergent. They killed them and made it look like an accident. They said they were sick. _Were they really sick?_

"Faction before Blood." I say to her. I have convinced her that my loyalties are indeed with her.

"Good. Do you know what the term Divergent means?" She questioned.

"All I know is that they are people that threatened the faction systems." I didn't want to admit that I knew so much more. I knew those files on my father's desk were confidential. I couldn't risk him getting hurt for my curiosity.

"They do. The simulations don't work on them." She says this as if its common knowledge but I am confused.

"But they work on everyone." My Erudite curiosity once again gets the better of me. "How do they not work on people who are Divergent?" The question is out of my mouth before the thought had fully crossed my mind. I wait for her to reprimand me for being so blunt. But she surprised me by answering the question.

"The simulations don't work on the Divergent. That's why they threaten the system." She takes a drink of lemon water before continuing. "When they are in the simulation, they are fully aware. They can manipulate the simulation.

"That can't possibly be. The test is supposed to work on everyone."

"Oh but it doesn't work on them Jenivieve. That's why they are dangerous. They don't fit into just one Faction. They fit it multiple Factions and that is why they need to be hunted." She had finished her lunch at this point. I looked down at my half eaten plate. I hadn't been able to finish.

"When you catch them, do they die?" I questioned with a mask for curiosity on my face.

"Only the one's that resist." She tried to hide a smile but failed. "The ones that don't resist are taken to a private lab here in the headquarters to be studied."

"What do the studies look for?" I am generally curious now.

"Why, what makes them Divergent. And once we discover what that is we can create a serum to destroy it. Making them normal once again." Part of me doesn't believe her. Part of me wanted to believe her.

Suddenly my mind put all the pieces together. All the information was now pointing to one conclusion. Eric was Divergent. He had said himself that he didn't want to do want people expected of him, be what people expected of him. It all made sense.

I kept my face completed calm as I asked the next questions. "What is the plan?" I needed her to know I was on board with her.

"The plan is to use Dauntless to find the Divergent. It's in a very early stage at this point." She folded her hands together on the table and placed her head on them. "Now do you want to hear more about your friends?"

"Yes." I said trying not to act too surprised.

"Well I need to send you to Dauntless." She said. "You are going to be my representative there. I have a lot going on here and I won't be able to oversee their progress on a daily basis." She smiled one of her wicked smiles again. "That is where you come in. You are going to need to convince Eric to rank first in his class. I think he deserves a leadership role."

"A Leadership role?" I asked. I am almost too over joyous at the thought of seeing Eric. I lowered my tone. "Was Eric part of your plan?" I silently hope that he joined Dauntless for her but I know the truth. She is just using him. Like she is using me

"Not originally. It never occurred to me to have an Erudite transfer to Dauntless to get someone on the inside. But with your friendship with him, you can convince him of what needs to be done. Plus if he has a leadership role, then he'll get to see you more. He'll have more control over everything." She used him against me. She thought she could control me. She was wrong. But I didn't need her to know that.

I needed to talk to Eric. And she was giving me the chance to walk right inside Dauntless and see him. She was making it too easy.

"I would love to do it." I said with confidence.

"Fantastic. I had already set a meeting up between you and one of the current Dauntless Leaders. His name is Max. I will send a car to your house on Saturday. The car will then take you to the Dauntless compound where Max will escort you inside. This will be your first test. You must get Eric to agree with our plan."

_Our plan. _I hid a smirk. I had my own plan. It didn't have anything to do with hunting Divergent but saving them. I just had to learn what 'her' plan was exactly and how the Dauntless was involved. I needed to get Eric on 'my' side. We could figure this out together.

* * *

That evening, long after Jeanine had dropped me back off at my house, I once again left to meet Evelyn. She waited in the shadows as I approached. When I was in visual range she step out.

"Have you thought about what I said?" Just the sight of her made my blood boil. This women left my older brother to a life of misery and pain. But right now I needed her. I didn't have to like her.

"Yes but there have been some changes." I crossed my arms over my chest. "The Dauntless are not to be harmed. AT ALL." I almost shouted the last words and she looked like she wanted to scold me but I continued. "You are right. Jeanine is using the Dauntless. I don't know how yet. But she trust me and I will find out what her plan is."

"How do you know she trust you enough to tell you her plan for Dauntless?" She questioned me. Not trusting me. The feeling was mutual.

"Because I'm the one that is going to oversee that things at the Dauntless Compound go according to the plan." I huffed at her.

"But you don't know what that plan is yet?" Her stance mimicked mine.

"I have a good idea but she hasn't actually told me. I have a meeting Saturday with one of the Dauntless Leaders." I shuffled my feet, ready for this conversation to be over.

"Why do you care about what happens to the Dauntless?" I have to give her a reason to not harm them.

"I have plenty of reasons for caring about Dauntless. But I'll just give you one." I meet her eyes. My eyes. They are the same. "Tobias joined Dauntless." The shock that crossed her face is real. She cared. She may pretend that she doesn't but she does. I turned without saying another word. She would agree to my terms. She wouldn't hurt her son.


	9. Chapter Eight - Eric

**A BIG shout out to my Beta JerkDestroyer **

**I hope you enjoy reading this FF as much as I enjoy writing it.**

**~Dane~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know.**

* * *

Chapter Eight

Eric's POV

"Everyone quiet down," the Dauntless leader who had taken all of our names instructed after the last jumper was off the net. "Now that you have all jumped successfully, it is time to visit your fear landscapes," he explained to deadly silent group of initiates.

"But first, a quick introduction. My name is Amar. I will be assisting the Dauntless transfers during the initiation process. Mak over here will be in charge of the Dauntless born." Other than his face, Amar had tattoos covering every inch of skin that was exposed. He had dark brown hair that curled outwards at the ends and had multiple piercings on his face. Overall, he looked as Dauntless as they come.

"Now in this first exercise you will be faced with a number of different situations, all having to do with one of your fears." He paced back in forth in front of the initiates. "The goal of this exercise is to learn just what you truly fear." Amar nodded to Mak. The Dauntless Born initiates followed him down a corridor and then out of view.

"This is your schedule for initiation." Amar turned his attention back toward the remaining transfers. "The first part of training is purely physical. You will be training separate from the Dauntless Born but you will be ranking with them. Any questions?" No one said a single word.

"Good." He had stopped pacing and was now facing the group. There were only twelve transfers; a few of them I had known from Erudite but I had yet to talk to them. "The second part of your training is the simulation itself. It will be similar to this one except for one fact. Today's simulation is timed. The simulations are programed to run for 30 seconds for each fear. So if you have 10 fears you will be in the simulation for 5 minutes." He scanned the group with his eyes, making sure we were all paying attention. The adrenaline from the jump was starting to wear off and we were getting fidgety.

"When we actually start phase two of initiation you will have to show that you can overcome your fears or slow you heart rate to beat the simulation. The final stage is the Simulation Test. You will be put into the simulation again but you will be aware that it's a simulation and a test. You will be timed on how fast you can conquer your fears or slow your heart rate." He turned his back to us. "Let's get started."

Amar started walking down the same hall that the Dauntless Born had left moments ago. He did not wait to see if we were following him. No one said word as we fell into line behind him.

When we came to the end of a hallway there was nothing but a single door waiting for us. Amar stopped at the door and turned to us. He waited for us to all settle into the hallway.

"Through this door I will be administering the serum that causes simulations. This session is not part of the training. It's simply designed to discover your fears. You will go one at a time in any order."

We all stood without movement. With my peripheral vision I could see Eaton. Always looking so collected. You couldn't mistake the worry in his eyes though. We are all nervous. I looked down at my feet and I couldn't help but wonder what his, and everyone else's fears, would be.

So far what I have seen of Dauntless Initiation involves sitting in a dark hallway with the other initiates, wondering what's going to happen behind a closed door.

But that thought wasn't entertained for long. What would be in my fear landscape? Of course water. It's not like I'm a great swimmer, or can even swim at all really. We just don't do that kind of thing in Erudite.

Amar takes the closest transfer into the room. Everyone stands in a line on one side of the hall. Angel is on my left and an Erudite transfer is on my left.

"My name is Alexander, but you can call me Xander. This is my twin brother Xavier." He stuck his hand out. I looked at the boy next to me. He was about my height, easily 5'11". They were identical twins. I couldn't tell them apart other that one had long hair, pulled back into a ponytail and the one that spoke had a buzz cut. They were both lean but not muscular.

I clasped his hand. "I'm Eric and this is Angel." I motioned toward her. She had been listening into the conversation. She shook Xander's hand, clearly sizing him up.

We had all been in Erudite together but I had never really spent much time with either boys. Twins were rare, so they had always been the focus of many studies.

We didn't say anything else but just waited. We assumed there had to be a separate exit for the room as none of the transfers came out but we kept going in. Before long I was the one waiting next to the door when Amar opened it a motion for me to come in.

In the room was a reclining metal chair, similar to the one I sat in during the aptitude test. Beside it was a familiar machine. This room had no mirrors and barely any light. There was a computer screen on a desk in the corner.

"Sit," He commanded.

It took all the willpower I had for me to steer myself toward the chair and sit down in it again, pressing my skull into the headrest. The cold from the metal seeped through my clothes.

Amar continued. "First I will inject you all with a serum that will produce the hallucination. You will then be hooked onto our computer so we can categorize your fear and nothing more. There is nothing you can do to prepare for this exercise, so clear your head and be ready. Understood?"

I nodded.

He made his way over to me and I closed my eyes as he injected me with the serum in my neck. I was never bothered by needles or sharp objects so the pain didn't faze me. "On average a person can have anywhere from 10-15 fears. Be brave." I nodded to him. I wanted to show them it was possible to be fearless.

I knew I wasn't, but what did I fear? The fear of wafer. And what else? I was ready for this. It's not like I was scared of water, I just couldn't swim. And it's been years since I've tried.

I reminded myself that this will end. This wasn't real, it was just a simulation. But would I know that when I was in the midst of my fears?

The room was fading. No I was fading. The room is dark and filled with nothingness. But not for long.

No, not long at all. Within half a second, maybe less, I was in a jungle-like environment. There was no movement. Just me, the trees, and the breaths I took. But I looked down at my feet and my eyes opened as wide as humanly possible and I gasped.

Snakes. Everywhere.

A fairly large red and orange snake slithered around my ankle. I remained frozen in place. Hiding in plain sight. Breathe. If I run, I will fail. The snake was to my knees. It wrapped around my legs and I was coiled.

Then I remembered that I was in a simulation and that I was just getting a look at my fears. I remained calm, knowing that this fear was almost over.

Everything was gone.

I now stood in an abandoned office building. Top floor. My eyes open wide and they burn. The burning sensation made me feel me worried. But I didn't move. I knew what was coming. I could smell it. Everyone in the building was running frantically to the stairs. A wall collapsed in front of me as smoke engulfed the room.

Red and orange fill the room, the color was mesmerizing. I stood still; fists tight with clenched teeth. I reminded myself that breathing was essential; even if it burned. My lungs burned, as the fire closed in. I knew this because I could feel the heat penetrating, not because I could see it. My eyes were closed. They stayed like that. I breathed in my last smoked filled breathe as the fire surrounded me before the scene changed once more.

I was completely underwater. I didn't attempt to swim, I know I couldn't swim.

I breathe out of my nose and make sure my body is completely straight and still. Not once did my body try to float. I slowly sank to the bottom. I held my breath.

And then I was on a beach. My clothes were no longer wet. I looked to the horizon and felt relieved. But soon water filled my lungs. I couldn't cough, because I was not breathing. I was choking. I tried to swallow the water, but I couldn't. I let myself choke. I didn't breathe. I closed my eyes and kept them shut as the pain was relieved.

My eyes were closed tight, and l don't move an inch. I haven't moved an inch since before the snakes. This is becoming a routine. I stood like a statue and took it. I felt like a statue; I had no feelings, no fears. My facial expression didn't change. Nothing could break me.

But the hallucinations still went on. I experienced a train crash, getting shot, not being in control and becoming powerless, and laying in a bed of black widows.

I bit down on my lip so hard that it bleed. I breathed, in and out. I closed my eyes.

I opened them and before me stood Eve. She looked like the Eve that I had saw just hours before but she was different. There was a colder look in her eyes.

"I know what you are Eric." She stood with her hands folded in front of her body. "You are not going to survive. We will hunt you down and kill you." From behind her I hear Jeanine laugh. I want to tell her everything. But I know that the person who stood across from me wasn't Eve. She was what I feared Eve would become under Jeanine's supervision.

I felt the coldness of the metal chair. It was over.

I opened my eyes. Amar had a puzzling look on his face. His eyes narrowed as I stared back at him. He knew my secret.

"You did well. You had ten fears. It's about average, your amount of fears." As we walked out of the room, I kept my glance at the floor. I would have to be more careful around him. He seemed wary.

I stood next to Angel in a hallway similar the first one and waited for the rest of the transfers to get through their fears.

I knew he said 10 fears was average but I dread the word average. I couldn't be average; this wasn't the place for that. But I couldn't stand out above the rest either. I had to blend in to survive.

Angel elbowed me to get my attention. "What?" I gave her a questioning look.

"How many fears did you have?" She wasn't looking at me. She was staring at the floor. Her breathing still irregular. Her mind was still on her own fears.

"Ten. Apparently I am average." I smirked at my own joke. "How about you?"

"I had 17. So I guess that makes me below average." She joked back.

I bumped my shoulder against hers. "There is nothing average about you Angel. You're one of a kind." She looked up at me as I said this.

"Thanks Eric. I guess we should stick together." She nudged me back. "Besides I can't let my best friend's boyfriend fail." She whispered.

"What did she tell you?" I whispered back, suddenly curious about what Eve might had said to Angel. I tried to forget about the simulation Eve.

"Nothing but your face just said it all." She smirked. "Plus you didn't correct me." She sighed. "She must be so upset. We were all she had." She went back to looking at the floor again.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into me, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "The best thing we can do is protect one another. She is rational. She can figure out why we left. Our choices had nothing to do with her. We did what was best for us." I gave her shoulder another squeeze and removed my arm.

"You sound just like her." She laughed. She looked around us and then looked back at me. "So, did you hear about the Abnegation transfer?"

Now I was curious. "What about him?"

"They are calling him Four" I didn't understand what she meant. She must have understood that from the look on my face. "Because he only had four fears. That is less than half of the average." She lowered her voice even farther. "So if you are average and I am below average, what does that make Four?" She looked over at the boy in question.

"A mystery." I answered honestly. I had another reason to dislike him. The more I learned about him the more I realized I wanted him to fail.

* * *

**A/N: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I just share with you my awesome readers that my husband got me a kitten for Mother's Day and I named him Eric. He is currently my profile picture. SO CUTE.**

**Also I would love all of you to check out my Divergent forum, the link can be found on my profile page. Enjoy. **

**~Dane~**


	10. Chapter Nine - Jenivi(Eve)

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know.**

* * *

Chapter Nine

Jenivieve's POV

I had so much to think about that when I got home I honestly was not prepared for a confrontation with my 'father'.

"How did lunch go?" He shouted from his office as I walked in the door and placed my coat on the hook.

"Lunch went well. We had a lot to discuss about my new position." It was the honest truth and I did need to think about everything.

"That's good." He said from his office door as I walked into the living room. "Are you excited with your new responsibilities?" He questioned.

"There is going to be a lot of new things for me to learn but now that I have no classes left I have plenty of time to learn my new role." I flashed him a smile as I settled on the couch. He entered the room and sat in the chair opposite me.

"Just be cautious around Jeanine. She has a way of exposing people's secrets and using them against. Do not trust anything she says." He was looking at me, very serious. "Always follow your instincts and always have proof."

He was the second person to warn me about Jeanine. Each warning just made me want to dig deeper into the mystery that was Jeanine Matthews and just learn exactly what she was planning.

"You work with her more than any of the other scientist. Do you not trust her?" I asked because Evelyn hadn't said if he could be trusted and if Jeanine really was a threat, my father would hold valuable information.

"I trust no in that place." His answer was cryptic but the look on his face told me that I wouldn't be getting more information out of him. "Oh by the way, these came for you in the mail today." He indicated toward two envelopes sitting on the coffee table and went back into his office and closed the door.

Now alone, I grabbed both envelops in my hands. One was completely blank except for my name written in elegant script on the front. The other was addressed to me from the Offices of Jeanine Matthews.

Generally curious, I opened the blank one first. Just as I had suspected it was from Evelyn.

**Jenivieve, **

**I have decided to agree with you. We will find a way to spare Dauntless. **

**I got information stating that you are going to Dauntless Headquarters in the morning. I must warn you. Jeanine's presence there has been noted more than one. Be cautious; there are cameras with audio as well as video all over the city. There are only a few blind spots, most top secret, like your house.**

**The work that Andrew does is top secret, therefore no cameras were installed in his house. When you visit Dauntless, be diligent and do not show favoritism toward ANY initiate. It will only make it that much harder for them in training. **

**Last but not least. I have included a note for Tobias. I know it is not my place to impose on you but I wish for you to deliver it. And please do not read it. **

**If you need to meet with me, take a Night Bloom Water Lily from the pond in the courtyard and leave it on the farthest eastern bench. I will meet you at midnight the same night, when the Lily is in full bloom.**

**E.**

I took Tobias' folded note and set it aside. True to her request, I did not read it, even though I wanted to. Next I picked up the envelope that was address to me from Jeanine.

It was more of an extremely thick package than an envelope. I carefully opened one end and peered in. Inside the package was a few folders and brand new tablet. I took the tablet out. It was the newest model, capable of sending and receiving information and electronic documents. I was excited to turn it on and start using it but I set it aside and grabbed the folders.

The first folder that I opened contained information on the Dauntless Compound, including a map. There was a note tapped to the map.

**Jenivieve,**

**I wanted to give you this map in hopes that it would make your position as liaison to Dauntless easier as you will be spending a lot of time there. I would like to point out that Dauntless has a control room where they monitor all the cameras for the compound. Be careful not to wonder off where you are not allowed. Do not socialize with the Dauntless. You are there for one purpose and one purpose only. To ensure that the Dauntless hold up their end of the agreement. **

**If you have any problems with Max or any of the other Dauntless members I expect you to handle it accordingly.**

**Jeanine. **

I removed her letter and peered at the map of the Dauntless Compound. It was so extensive, I imagined that I would get lost many times without this map. I placed the folder next to the tablet and opened the next one.

Inside the folder was a photo of an olive skinned man who appeared to be 10 years older than I. He had many piercings and tattoos, which only made him more intimidating. Below the picture was a name and title: Max, Dauntless Leader.

This was the man that I would be meeting with tomorrow and no doubt the man that I would spend the most time with while inside Dauntless.

Behind the photo was a list of the other four Dauntless Leaders, however pictures had not been included. Under the last name on the list there was note, scribbled in Jeanine's handwriting;

**This leader is 'retiring' soon. We must ensure that whom so ever replaces him will benefit us. The next folder contains the perfect candidate.**

I did not understand what she mean by 'retiring' as new leaders were only elected when the previous leader had died. But maybe Dauntless was different. I guess I was about to find out.

I placed the second folder on top of the first folder and proceeded to open the last remaining folder.

What I found inside made my heart stop.

Inside was a full size photo of Eric. It was a recent picture. I moved the picture and looked at the papers behind it. The first paper had basic information on him; birthdate, parents names, no siblings, hobbies, and IQ score. The second page was his aptitude test results.

I quickly scanned the paper. The only two things that stood out were that the aptitude video was not available and his results were indeed Dauntless. Part of me had hoped that they wouldn't be. But deep down I had known.

This is who Jeanine had wanted to replace the 'retiring' leader. I didn't know if it was because he was her nephew or it she actually thought he was quantified. Suddenly it occurred to me; Jeanine could have planted him in Dauntless.

His results could have been falsified. That would explain why he left, why I was so surprised by his choice. It is what I had wanted to believe.

I shoved all the folders back into the envelope and went to my bedroom. I grabbed my Mother's business bag from my closet. She had always used it to take files to and from work. Now it would serve me in hiding my personal information. I could take this bag everywhere with me.

I placed the bag on the floor next to my dresser and I changed into something comfortable. I needed to get some sleep before I met with Max tomorrow.

I knew that there was a possibility that I would be seeing Eric as well and that thought kept me up longer than I needed to be.

* * *

I woke the next morning to my father knocking on my bedroom door. The first thought was that I couldn't wait to get my own place. One more year and I'd be truly alone. It was almost as sad as it was comforting.

"Jenivieve, get up." He knocked on the door one more time. "Jeanine's driver will be here in 30 minutes."

I sat straight up in bed. It couldn't be that late already. I looked at my alarm clock. It was almost 10am. I had forgotten to set the alarm last night. "I'm up Dad. I'll be down in twenty minutes." I heard his footsteps retreat down hall and then down the stairs.

I quickly ran to my closet and threw the doors open. I should have chosen what I was going to wear the night before. I was in a panic now. I scanned all the different shades of blue that hung before me. I needed some that would be taken serious but also would show that I couldn't be intimidated.

My eyes settled on some of my Mother's older clothes. I had held on to some things after she died, knowing that they would fit me one day. All of her clothes were in dress and suit bags, all being business attire. They would be perfect.

The first suit bag that I grabbed had a plain black knee length skirt with a dark navy blue blouse. The blouse would blend in with the black colors of Dauntless. The only thing that would really give it away that I was Erudite was my high heeled shoes. I couldn't imagine a Dauntless woman wearing heels.

I took the clothes with me into the bathroom and showered quickly. I dressed just as quickly and was only mildly surprised when the blouse was a bit tight around the chest. It still looked fantastic but it wouldn't fit for much longer.

I fixed my hair and applied light makeup, just eyeliner and mascara.

After slipping the matching shoes on, I grabbed my handbag with the files in them and quickly stuck Tobias' note from Evelyn inside as well. I would try to get it to him.

I then headed down stairs where I found my father waiting for me in the kitchen, I could smell the fresh coffee.

"Smells amazing Dad." I signed as I placed my bag on one of the chairs and went to make myself a cup.

"You look amazing honey. Just like your mother." I knew he generally meant it as a compliment but I had to bite back the remark that was trying to escape my lips. Thankful that my back was to him, I just nodded my head in agreement.

Before there could be anything else said between us, there was a honk from outside. "That must be my ride. Don't wait up for me, I don't know how long this will take." I grabbed my bag and coffee. I gave him a kiss on the cheek as I left the house.

The same driver from yesterday was waiting for me with the door open. I nodded good morning to him and slid into the back seat. "How long is the drive to the Dauntless Compound?" I asked as he slipped in behind the wheel.

"It takes about thirty minutes Ma'am." He indicted as he started the car and pulled away from my house. That would give me plenty of time to memorize the map that Jeanine had given me. I would take any advantage I could get. And I certainly didn't want to get lost.

It felt much shorter than thirty minutes when the car came to a stop. I looked out the windows but nothing was familiar to me. I had never been in this part of the city. I placed the map back into my bag and climbed out of the car.

The drive came around and held the door open for me, giving me a look. He wasn't used to people getting in and out by themselves. He would have to get used to it. I waited for no one.

"I am pleased that you could join us Ms. Johnson." A voice boomed from the darkness off the building before me. I hadn't seen any door but suddenly Max appeared, as if through the side of the building itself.

"Thank you Max. And please call me Eve." I don't know what prompted me to give him that name but I felt that I wanted them to know that girl.

Eve was different from Jenivieve. Jenivieve had been naive and young. Jenivieve let other's take advantage of her emotions. Eve was stronger, more self-aware. Eve knew what she wanted and how to get it. I was no longer Jenivieve. I was Eve.

"Well Eve, it is a pleasure to welcome you to Dauntless." Max had reached me at this point and held his hand out to me.

"Thank you again." I smiled as I shook his hand, it was rough against my smooth one but I said nothing.

"Please, Eve, follow inside." He indicated behind him and started leading the way back from where he had come. "I will give you a short tour. I gave Jeanine a map to pass on to you." He looked at me as he said this. "I hope that you have taken the time to study it, I will not escort you everywhere you wish to go." I felt as he was talking to me as if I was a child. It enraged me.

"Max," I said once we were inside and away from the driver. For all I could tell, we were alone in a dark corridor. "Let me assure you that I have studied the map and navigating this compound will not be a problem for me." I kept my voice even. "Let me also assure you that I will be given the respect that I deserve and I will not be treated like a child, no matter what my appearances may suggest." I stared into his eyes now, he had a look that was a mixture between anger and amusement. "I have earned the right to be here, to be working on this project, and I shall not be intimidated by anyone here."

"Well Eve, I can assure you with an attitude like that, no will intimidate you." He said with a smile on his lips. I could see myself becoming friends with him. "You would have been excellent in Dauntless." My heart skipped a beat as he said this. It never even occurred to me that I could make it in Dauntless.

"Would have been?" I question him, realizing that he does not know my age. He was assuming that I had completed Erudite Initiation.

"You obviously chose Erudite." He said as we continued deeper into the compound. Max did not point out any of the places to me as we passed but I recognized them from the map, mainly the Pit. It was almost empty as we passed.

"My Choosing Ceremony is next year Max." I stated blankly as we made our way to his office. I was indeed proud of myself for memorizing the entire map.

He stopped in his tracks and stared at me. "You are rather young to be the liaison for Erudite." He stated with little emotion.

"We don't always go on age at Erudite. IQ plays a big part of our decision making." I shrugged as it was no big deal and continued walking toward his office. He met me at his office and opened the door for me.

"Thank you." I noticed that there was a man waiting for us as we entered the room.

"Eve, I would like to introduce you to Amar," he indicated for me to take the chair next to Amar as he proceeded to the chair behind the desk. "Amar, this is Jeanine's associate Eve." I shook the hand that Amar extended toward me. He seemed friendly enough. "Amar here is in charge of training the transfers."

"As you know, Jeanine is interested in the future members of Dauntless." I crossed my legs and folded my hands on my lap. "She is quite intrigued with the training process."

"Well than it is your lucky day. I have other business to attend to today but you can observe the transfers for the rest of the day. They should be getting done with lunch right about now." Max nodded to Amar, who immediately stood up.

I nodded to Max and followed Amar out of the room, taking my bag with me. "So what are they learning today?" I was generally curious.

"This afternoon they will be learning how to throw a knife accurately." I nodded, not trusting my voice to hide the emotions that were threating to escape.

In a few moments, I would see Eric, Angelica, and Tobias. I couldn't contain the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach.

Today was going to be interesting. And I still had to figure out how to get Eric alone to talk to him without raising suspicion.


	11. Chapter Ten - Eric

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know.**

* * *

Chapter 10

Eric's POV

I woke the next morning feeling disoriented. It took me a moment to remember where I was. I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that it was only a little past six in the morning. Plenty of time to shower and get some breakfast before heading to the training room.

I quickly climbed out of bed and headed to the shower. None of the other initiates were awake yet. Many probably wasn't used to rising early like I was.

The shower was hot and quick. I didn't waste any time getting dressed. I was almost to the door when I decided to wake Angel and Xavier up.

"Angel. Wake up." I poked her in the shoulder, trying to get a response. "If you want a shower AND breakfast before training I suggest you get up NOW. That goes for you too Xavier."

Angel shot straight up in her bed and glared at me; she was definitely not a morning person. She grumbled something before heading off to the shower. I glanced at Xavier as he started to get dressed.

"No shower for you?" I asked him as he laced up his boots.

"Naw, I took one last night when ya'll were sleeping." He sounded very much still asleep but I just shrugged my shoulders at him. He kicked his brother as we walked out of the dormitory, he had succeeded in waking him up as curse words followed us out the door.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked through a yawn as we walked into the dining room. I couldn't suppress my own yawn, it was contagious.

"Looks fruit and muffins." I said as I started piling my plate with all my favorite fruits; watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries. I then grabbed two blue berry muffins.

I had already made it through half of my plate when Angel sat down next to me and stole one of my muffins. She just gave me a challenging looked before taking a bite. I wasn't awake enough to argue with her but I did eat the second one before she could get to it. She then finished off the rest of my fruit for me.

"Remind me why we are friends again?" I asked as we walked toward the training room.

She just laughed but didn't answer. We were all silent the rest of the way there. We were the last of the initiates to arrive but we were not late. Amar was already waiting for us and started as soon as we enter the room.

"Alright lamb chops this is how this is going to work!" Amar shouted, quieting down all conversations. "Training is divided into three stages. At the end of stages one through three cuts will be made. Stage—"

"What do you mean cuts?" A Candor boy cut in. Amar glared at him for interrupting.

"At the end of the each stage, two initiates will be cut." Amar answered flatly.

"Cut? Where do they go?" Another Candor boy asked fearfully.

"They leave Dauntless and live Factionless." Amar said coldly. I felt my blood run as cold as his voice. This was not something any of us had known before. I had assumed like most the only that the only way to end up Factionless was to fail initiation completely. Not get cut during the process.

"We didn't know—" A Candor girl started.

"Doesn't make a difference that you know now does it? You're here now and if you plan on staying you need to shut up and listen." Amar told us glaring slightly. When no one else spoke he continued. "As I said 6 initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. Though you will be trained separately from the Dauntless born all of you will be ranked against each other. That means that at the end of stage one it could be six of you going home, or six of them, or any combination of the two. All that should matter to you is that you aren't ranked below the cut line."

"Do we get to see both sides of the rankings?" I asked, there were fifteen of us but I didn't know how many Dauntless Born there were.

"No you will only see how you rank against the other transfers. Same for them. Stage two and three will be combined and are designed to test your emotional and mental capabilities." Amar answered. "If that's everything, let's start your morning run."

There had been a lot of information sprung on us and now we were going on a run. I didn't like running. But it did give me a chance to think. I couldn't afford to be Factionless. I could think of a few people I would like to be Factionless, Four being one of them.

With an angry look I glanced at the back of Four's head. He was concentrating on the run. He didn't talk to others or gravitate toward any of the other initiates. He had kept to himself. It irritated me that he only had four fears. How could someone only have four fears?

The run was quiet. No one spoke as we ran the halls of the compound. Very few Dauntless members were roaming about, so we didn't run into many people. We ran for an hour before Amar led us back to the same hall that the training room was on but into a different room.

"The rest of the morning you will learn how to fire a gun." He said as he walked into the new room. "This is the Range." He informed us.

"They really have a knack for names here don't they…" A Candor boy right beside me snorted. He had said it a little too loudly as Amar's eyes snapped over to the boy and narrowed. I consciously took a step away from the boy not wanting to be looped into whatever was coming the guy's way. The Candor boy swallowed fearfully as Amar walked over and got within an inch of his face.

"If I want Candor commentary I'll ask for it, and I will never ask for it." He was every bit the Dauntless Trainer as he reprimanded the boy. "As for the 'they' remember, you are in Dauntless now." He warned. "Now grab a gun and pay attention!"

I jogged over with everyone else to the table that had the handguns laid out on it. Picking one up I noted it was just as heavier than I thought it would be. The metal was cold in my hand but I liked the feeling. If felt like power.

I watched as Amar demonstrated how to load the bullets and click the safety off. He watched each of us do it before showing us the proper posture before emptying his own gun into the first target on the opposite wall. Even from here I could tell that all 9 of his shots were dead center.

"Initiates line up!" Amar shouted. Immediately everyone ran to a firing pad. I took the one next to Angel and Xavier took the one on my other side. "Well get started!" Amar shouted and shots began to ring out loudly in the room.

I mimicked Amar stance and pointed the gun at the target. I lined the sight up with the center of the rings and fired. The first three shots hit the outside of the third ring. The handgun had a lot more power and kick than I had anticipated. Adjusting to the new feeling and strength I fired the last nine shots within the two most inner circles with four hitting the very center. As I lowered the gun I was met with complete silence. I looked around to see everyone gaping at me.

I met the slightly angry eyes of Angel on my left. She had fired a few shots, only one of which hit the target. And it was on the outer rings. I looked back at her. I didn't really know what to say about my talent with guns.

"That's only the first time you've fired a gun, you'll get better." I offered her as I looked at the other initiate's targets. Xavier's target was better than Angel's. He had only fired four shots but all of them had hit the target, with one in the center ring.

A quick glance at the other targets told me that the other initiates were someone between Xavier and Angel's skills. That put at Angel at the bottom. With me and one other person at the top.

And that one person who did as well as I had was Four. Instantly anger filled up inside me. There was nothing that the Abnegation transfer wasn't good at so far. He was a mystery. One that I would solve. There was some way to best him and I would find it.

Amar handed me another clip as the other's started to fire again. I replaced the empty one with the full one and rapidly fired all the bullets into the center of the target. I didn't know if I was just really that good or if my anger made me better. Either way, I was the best shot in class so far.

I heard Angel huff from beside me. I glanced at her target, she had fired four more shots. All had made it on the target but in the outer rings. I said nothing as I watched her fire two more shots into the target. I knew what she was doing wrong.

"Your stance is wrong." I whispered to her. I didn't want to embarrass her in front of the other initiates but I couldn't let her keep practicing wrong. "Instead of facing your whole body toward the target, shift your weight so that your dominate side is facing forward. Bend your non-dominate elbow, then line the site on the gun up with center of the target. Brace your shoulders and fire." I knew that the only person who could hear me was Xavier but I still whispered.

Angel glared at me but did as I instructed. She fired four shots rapidly and all were inside the two inner circles. She gave me a look of pure exhilaration. She was afraid of becoming Factionless. I wouldn't let that happen. I smiled back and turned toward my own target.

I was out of bullets again and Amar didn't bring more, so I took to watching the initiates. Four was the only one who matched me in this particular field. I would have to make my shots perfect to be better than him.

"Time for lunch initiates." Amar barked at us. After the last shot was fired we all placed our guns on the table and followed him toward the dining hall.

Angel had fallen is step beside me. "Thanks, you know, for back there." She bumped her shoulder against mine. The gesture was friendly but my shoulder still protested in agony from the effort of holding a gun steady for three hours.

"We are both going to make it Angel. I promise. We owe it to Eve." I rubbed my shoulder as I answered her. She chuckled and went to bump my shoulder again but I side stepped her and she fell into Xavier, who just caught her before she landed flat on her face. I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips.

"Did I miss something?" Xander asked as his brother released Angel. All three of us were laughing as we entered the dining hall. We all split up to find food and then met at an empty table.

"So Eric, was that the first time you've ever shot a gun?" Xander asked as we all sat.

"Yeah, kind of surprised myself as well." I answered as I bit into a hamburger.

"Well remind me never to get on your bad side." Xavier said around a mouth full of cake.

I gave him a questioning look. "Why are you eating cake for lunch?"

"Our parents didn't allow sweets in the house." Xander said as he bit into his own cake.

"So your idea gouge yourself now that it is available?" Angel asked as she ate her own hamburger.

"Yeah, well, you never know when it's going to your last." Xavier shoved more cake into his mouth and his brother shook his head in agreement and did the same.

"None of us will become Factionless. So you will have all the cake you want for your entire lives." I held up my hand to keep them from interrupting. "I suggest you slow down or you're going to make yourself sick."

Both brothers just shrugged their shoulders at the same time but went and got real food to eat, leaving Angel and myself alone.

"Why are you helping us?" She asked earnestly.

"We all grew up together, we may not have exactly been friends, but we can relate to each other more than we can others here in Dauntless." I said matter-of-factly. They reminded me of home. Not of my parents or of my aunt. But of Eve. Of all the things that I left behind. None of it would be in vain. I would not be Factionless.

Before long we were all back in the Range waiting for Amar. When he finally entered he was not alone. Standing next to him was the last person that I expected to see, Eve. The chatter in the room died immediately when they realized we had company.

Angel grabbed me elbow and squeezed. She was internally freaking out as much as I was. I could think a few reason's that Eve was here and none of them were good. That was because all of them included Jeanine. Whatever Jeanine had Eve mixed up in, it was definitely bad.

"Listen up initiates, today we have a special guest." He gestured toward Eve next to him, "This is Eve Johnson. She is the liaison between Dauntless and Erudite. She is here to assess our training methods. You will only speak to her if she speaks to you. Other than that, act like she is not even here." Amar gestured for her to stand off to the side and observe us.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she walked over to the far wall and leaned against it. She was wearing a business suit, I had never seen her look so professional before. She had a cold exterior, she hadn't looked at either me or Angel. She was hurt by us. Her body language almost suggested that she didn't want to be here at all.

"All right, all of you take five knives from the table and line up at the same targets." I tore my eyes from her and grabbed my knives and made my way back over to my target. Someone had placed all new targets on the Range.

I watched as Amar demonstrated how to properly hold the knife and release it. It was quite similar to holding a gun. I would pick this up easily. I looked over as I heard the sound of a knife hitting its mark.

Four had thrown three of his five knives and all were in the center of the bulls-eye. I glanced back at Eve, hoping to catch her eye. She was looking at Four with a look of satisfaction on her face.

I turned back toward my target with new determination and let my first blade fly.


	12. Chapter Eleven - Eve

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know. **

**Also please check out my new forum for Divergent. The link can be found in my profile. Thanks. **

**Readwritereview20 has named Eve and Eric – Evric. Hehe I love it. So I can honestly say that there will be more Evric in this chapter. Good or bad, I won't say.**

**Also I have updated my profile, so please check it out. Hope you love this chapter. **

Chapter 11

Eve's POV

I walked silently next to Amar as he led me to the training room. I knew in a matter of minutes that I would be face to face with Eric, Angelica, and Tobias. I couldn't bury my anger at the thought of them.

Tobias I understood. I knew why he had left Abnegation and I was glad that he did. But Eric and Angelica? I was confused; there had been the image of perfect Erudite Member. I couldn't understand what had changed their minds.

It had occurred to me that I barely knew Eric. There were tons of things about him that I hadn't known before he left. He had many layers and I had just started to peel the first one away when he left. He was almost a complete stranger to me.

But Angelica? I had known her since birth. We had been neighbors before we were best friends. I knew everything about her. Her first crush, her first kiss, how her parents would fight at night and she would crawl through my window to sleep with me. I had never once thought she would leave Erudite. So did I really know her after all?

"So what did the initiates learn this morning?" I asked to make polite conversation as we walked.

"They learned how to shot a gun." I gave him a surprised look. I hadn't expected them to give initiates weapons so soon.

"Really? Interesting, and in your professional opinion, how did they do?" I was curious about my friends. I had read the report that Jeanine sent me on Dauntless Initiation. I knew that those who fell at the bottom of the pack would be cut, resulting in them being Factionless. I felt that they were safer here at Dauntless then with Evelyn and the Factionless.

"Most did as expected. Some are going to need a lot of practices. And there are two that exceeded my expectations greatly." He replied in a professional manner.

"Oh, and which two would that be?" Along with the report that Jeanine had sent, she had included a list of initiates that had transferred to Dauntless.

"Eric and Four." I did a mental check of the list of initiates, I didn't recall the second name being on the list. And I would remembered a name like that.

"Four? He was not in my report." I stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I bet he was in the report under Tobias. He is referred to as Four here. Many do not even know his real name." His tone suggested a warning, as if he was protecting Tobias.

"Why the name Four?" I asked curiously.

"You'll have to ask him." Amar stated as we rounded the corner, now only a few feet away from the training room.

"Okay, well I would like to speak to Four and Eric after class." I stated as I reached to open the door. Amar's hand stopped me from going farther.

"I can arrange for you to meet with Eric as it was part of Jeanine's request. What is your interest with Four?" His tone hadn't changed at all. I could tell that he cautious of me and my curiosity about Tobias.

"Jeanine is interested in Eric if his is the top of his class. Which it seems he might be but as you have said, Four has also exceeded your expectations. I would like to speak with him as well." The logic made sense to me but I hoped that Amar couldn't read my alternative motives.

"I understand. But unless Jeanine request for more information on him, I suggests you focus on Eric." Amar threatened as he walked past me into the training room. I buried my anger as I followed him in, he was already address the initiates as I stood next to him.

"Listen up initiates, today we have a special guest." He gestured toward where I stood behind him, "This is Eve Johnson. She is the liaison between Dauntless and Erudite. She is here to assess our training methods. You will only speak to her if she speaks to you. Other than that, act like she is not even here." Amar gestured for me to stand off to the side and observe the class.

I didn't argue with him as I took a place against one of the far walls and leaned my body against it. From this position the initiates had to face away from me to face their targets. I watched them without having to worry about them watching me.

I could almost feel Eric's gaze as swept over me. I kept my eyes trained of Tobias. I would deal with Eric later. Right now I wanted to see how my baby brother was really doing. I was curious about his new name but I would follow Amar's advice and not press the matter more.

"All right, all of you take five knives from the table and line up at the same targets." I tore my eyes from Tobias as he when to the table and grabbed the first set of knives his hand came into contact with.

He made his way over to the first target after having watched Amar demonstrate how to properly throw the deadly weapons in their hands. I watched him mimic the movements of his instructor and then he released two knives in rapid succession.

I couldn't hide the smirk the plastered my face as I watched both knives land in the dead center of the target. He was amazing. I only knew a fraction of his past but I knew what he had been through would make him hard and tough. He would do amazing here in Dauntless.

I moved my focus over to where Eric stood next to Angelica. He had been watching me as I watched Tobias. I didn't see the full look he had been giving me but when he turned and looked at Tobias, I knew he was angry.

I didn't care. I wanted to feel something for Eric but I couldn't. I had felt something for him for so long. But now whenever I thought about him, I just became angry. I deserved better than him. I would do better than him.

I watched as Eric released two knives in much the same fashion as Tobias had and like Tobias they landed in the center of the target. At least Jeanine's plan seemed like it would be able to work.

I refocused on Angelica. She was having more difficulty that the two guys had. At first she was able to get the knives to stick to the target, they always seemed to bounce hilt first and then land on the floor.

Amar had gone over and given her a few pointers on ways to improve. I was too far away to hear what he had said but whatever he said had seemed to work. Her next couple throws stuck to the outer rings. They weren't good but it was better than missing altogether, which some initiates still seemed to be doing.

I watched them for a few hours, none of them turned to look at me again. My shoulders were aching from leaning against the hard wall but I ignored it. I just watched as the initiates threw knife after knife. I could only imagine how their arms must hurt.

Must everyone was showing signs that their arms where starting to protest. Everyone except for Tobias, or Four as I should call him, and Eric.

Four hadn't been paying attention to anyone else. He was concentrating on his own target. Throw, throw, throw, throw, throw, pause, go retrieve knives, and repeat. He never once looked to see how the others were doing. He only cared about his own target.

Eric only seemed to be watching Four. He hadn't paid close attention to any of the other initiates. He would watch Four throw and then when Four went to retrieve his knives Eric would throw. They were equally skilled. Easily to two with the best aim in the entire class. No one else had managed to get in the inner circle. Most were still hitting the outer circle.

"Alright initiates, you are dismissed for dinner. I expect you all here tomorrow morning at 8am. DON'T BE LATE." Amar shouted as the group put their knives back on the table and started to head out the door one by one. "Eric please stay, I would like to have a word with you." He said this nicely but it wasn't a questions.

I watched as all the initiates left the room leaving only Amar, Eric, and I. Eric was not looking at either of us. He was focused on his target, which now had multiple entry marks on it.

"Ms. Johnson here is going to ask you a few questions. You will provide answers for her. She will tell me otherwise. Wish I could stay and chat but I have other matters to attend to." Amar exited the room while Eric gave him a bewildered look.

I looked at Eric, he still wasn't looking at me. I wanted to ask him how he was doing. I wanted to ask him why he chose this. I wanted to ask him what he was feeling. But suddenly I realized that I didn't care what his answers were. I didn't care why he did what he did. There was nothing that could change it now.

"So what did you want?" His voice was cold, harder than I have ever heard it before. He had certainly never spoke to me in that tone before.

"I am here because Jeanine sent me. She has an agreement with the Dauntless leaders and this includes the training of initiates." My voice was just as cold toward him. I let the anger I was feeling toward him sound in my voice. There was no need to hide it from him.

"And what is this agreement? And what does it have to do with me?" He glared as he walked over to me and he crossed his arms over his chest. He was standing only about a foot away now. He was taller than I was by almost half a foot, I had to tilt my head up to meet his gaze.

"The agreement is on a need to know bases. And right now all your need to know is that if you want to be a part of it not only do you need to survive initiation but you need to be top of the class." I snapped at him. "And you have no right to question me. Obviously you have talent with guns and knives, but there is so much more to this training. If you want to succeed you will need to be ranked first." I replied angrily.

"So you won't tell me anything useful, but promise that if I come in first place, I can be part of this grand scheme of yours." He huffed at me. I looked into his eyes. His normal soft gray eyes were not what was staring back at me. His eyes were harden, like his voice; they reflected coldness.

"It's not that I won't tell you Eric, it's that I can't tell you anything else at this time. And it's not my plan. It's Jeanine's, I am just following orders. So why don't you be a good little Dauntless soldier and follow yours?" I asked heatedly. He brought out the worst in me.

"Fine. You can tell my aunt that I will come in first place in initiation and help with whatever she has planned. I don't really feel like it was a request though, so is there any more orders you would like to give me?" There was an underlying tone in his voice, almost like he was saying one thing but thinking another.

Just then the door to the training room opened. Eric and I both took a quick step apart and looked to see who had entered. I had expected it to be Amar coming to retrieve Eric but I was actually surprised by who it was.

"Four." I said politely. "What are you doing here?" I asked him but then stopped him from answering. "Never mind, I actually needed to talk to you. I have something for you." I started walking toward him.

"Really?" He asked wearily from the doorway. I couldn't blame him for being skeptical.

"Yes, why don't you and I go for a walk and have a little chat? Shall we?" I motioned for me to exit the way he had come. He didn't move but he stared behind me.

"Are you finished here?" Four asked just as respectfully. I turned and looked at Eric. I had honestly forgotten about him the moment that my mind focused on Tobias. I had been concentrating on the conversation ahead and not thinking about the one that had just passed.

"Yes we are. I was just leaving anyway." He nodded his head in understanding and stepped aside holding the door for me to proceed before him, Abnegation to the roots.

He quickly followed me out and for a few moments we just walked in silence. I led us to the Chasm. I knew that there were many camera's here in the compound but I also knew that we wouldn't be over heard near the Chasm.

Tobias just followed me, not once asking me what I needed. He was ever patient with me. I was slightly nervous about having this conversation. I stopped and leaned against the railing overlooking the Chasm. The roar was loud in my ears but it didn't bother me.

"I have something for you that someone else asked me to give to you." I said as I slowly took Evelyn's letter out of my bag and offered it to him.

"Who is it from?" He curiously asked me. I shook my head. He took the letter from me. I watched silently as he read the entire letter. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding when his eyes met mine again.

I wasn't surprised when anger flashed across his eyes. It was the same feeling I had when I learn about Tobias. And what kind a man she had left him with. I felt no pleasure at meeting my mother, only fury at learning I had lost a brother.

"Do you know that this letter says? Do you know who it is from?" I knew that he was shouting at me but with the roar of the water it still sounded like a gentle conversation. I could see the emotions raging inside him all played out on his face. Anger, hurt, betrayal, disbelief, and fear. What he feared I didn't know.

"I didn't read it but I have a pretty good idea what is says and who it is from." I shouted over the roaring. He didn't look convinced.

"So it says here that you are my half-sister and that I am not to blame you for her leaving to protect you." He barked back at me. Of all the things I thought would be in her letter, tell Tobias about me was not one of them.

I didn't know what to say but he didn't give me a chance to say anything before he continued to yell at me. "I should blame you for her choosing you over me. For taking you away to be raised by a woman who loved you while I was raised with that monster."

I stared at him, my eyes filled with tears. He gave me a look of hatred and turned away from me. "Tobias, don't you turn you back on me." I screamed at his retreating form. He whipped around and faced me once again.

"Why not? Clearly you both turned your back on me so easily." He spat the words out at me. "She surely would have known what I was going through and she did nothing. She let me think she was dead."

"Until three days ago Tobias, I didn't even know you existed." I screamed as sobs escaped my lips. "Hell, I didn't even know she existed." I braced myself on the railing as the tears started to fall from my eyes. I was fighting back the sobs that threatened to escape my lips.

"What are you talking about? She left to protect you." He wasn't shouting now and I barely heard him over own cries but answered him anyway.

"She did leave to protect me Tobias. She left to protect me from your father. But she didn't keep me. She gave me to her brother and his wife in Erudite. Then she left me." I cried. I had so many emotions swelling inside me. "Until three days ago my life was perfect. Three days ago I learned that my parents were not really my parents. That same day I watched the brother I never knew existed choose the life of Dauntless along with my boyfriend and my best friend. My life ended that day Tobias." I nearly collapsed from emotional exhaustion but I felt two strong arms pull me into an embrace.

I hugged him back. I hadn't realized until that moment that he might resent me for Evelyn's actions. That I might lose my brother permanently before ever having him. And that thought scared me to death. I clung to Tobias as if my life depended on it.

And I guess it did. There were not very many things that were important to me anymore but this person was at the top of my list.

"So your boyfriend defected here? I'm guessing that is what I walked in the middle of between you and Eric." He said into my ear. My head was on his chest. From an outsider we could be mistaken as a couple but I didn't care. He was the only real family that I had.

"Yes and no." I signed into his chest. "We were not discussing us. His aunt is Jeanine Matthews. She gave me a message to give to him."

He chuckled into my hair. "Well aren't you just full of messages today?"

"Yeah but yours was the most important one." I said. "I kind of wish that I had read it ahead of time now though, we could have saved the drama." I chuckled at him. Suddenly he stiffened. I pulled back slightly to look at his face.

He was looking past me. I turned but couldn't see anyone in the hall behind us. "What's wrong?"

"It was Eric, I think he followed us from the training room." He said as he released me and took a step back. "And he probably has the wrong idea about us."

I looked up at Tobias. I suddenly found the entire situation hilarious and burst out laughing. "I don't really care what he thinks. Serves him right." I said in between bouts of laughter. "He is probably going to sent you hateful looks from now on." I said, still laughing like a maniac.

"He's already done that since day one so I guess nothing is going to change." Tobias laughed with me.

"So, Tobias, can I ask you a question?" I said, trying to be serious now but still smiling. He nodded his head to indicate for me to continue. "Why do they call you Four?"

His face was serious when he answered but he was angry. "That is a conversation for another day."

"Okay, well I am still going to call you Tobias when we are alone. Deal?" I asked him and stuck my hand out to shake his.

"It's only a deal if I can call you Evy." He said as he shook my hand. I laughed and just shrugged my shoulders at him.

I gave him another hug and walked him to the dining hall before I went to fine Amar and tell him that I was headed back to Erudite for the night.


	13. Chapter Tweleve - Eric

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Divergent, including Eric. Which is slightly overly depressing. If I do happen to claim the rights to Eric, you will be the first to know. **

**Also please check out my new forum for Divergent. The link can be found in my profile. Thanks. **

**And some of you have been asking when Eric would be more 'canon'. I would say that he started to change in the previous chapter. Since this chapter is from his point of view, I think this is when he starts to transition into the Eric we all know and love. (I love any version of him.)**

Chapter 12

Eric's POV

I knew that I shouldn't have followed them from the training room but I did it anyway. I came out of the training room just as they were rounding a corner. I quickly followed.

They were rounding another corner when I made it to the first. They were silent as they walked. I was angry at Eve for so easily dismissing me. I hadn't meant to be so forward with her. She had made me so enraged.

I knew where they were headed when I started to hear the roar of the river that ran under the compound. I stopped at the last corner and just watched them, mostly concealing myself.

Four had some sort of letter in his hand. Whatever the letter contain it wasn't good. Four was outraged as he clenched the letter in his hands and shouted something at Eve. I couldn't hear them over the sound of the river and I didn't know how to read lips.

Eve's back was to me so I couldn't see her expressions as she yelled something back at Four. She had picked this spot specifically so they would be overheard, how very Erudite of her.

When Four turned to walked away from her I thought the conversation was over but Eve must had said something to even more infuriate him. He twirled back toward her and yelled something else at her.

Whatever he said to her must hurt because she took a step back and had to brace herself against the railing. I really just couldn't believe that they knew each other and I never realized it.

Eve was crying. I recognized her posture, it was the same as the last time I had been alone with her before the ceremony. I was suddenly very angry with Four for making her upset.

I had stepped out into the hallway with the intent to confront them and demand to know what was going on but before I did Four pulled Eve into a hug and just held her.

He laid his chin on the top of her head and whispered something to her. She hugged him tighter in response. They were together. That was the only explanation that made sense. She must have been seeing him behind everyone's back.

Maybe that is where she was coming from the night I ran into her. Maybe she was coming back from the Abnegation sector. After see him and he must had told her he was joining Dauntless. That was why she was so broken up when I found her. She loved him.

Four opened his eyes and for a brief moment they met my cold gray eyes before I turned and stormed off to the dining hall.

Angel and Xavier were still eating when I sat across from them. I grabbed a plate and just started filling it with things that were in arms reach of me. I was furious for thinking that she actually cared. For thinking that I actually meant something to her.

"What crawled into your boots and died?" Xavier asked, stopping his conversation with Angel. I met her eyes over my plate and she barely hid her flinch.

"I've decided that I am going to be the top ranked initiate. No matter what I have to do or who I have to beat." My voice sound cold and calculating to my voice.

"What did Eve want Eric?" Angel asked slowly.

"Why do you care?" I glared at her. "She isn't our friend anymore. Faction before blood!" I hissed at her. "So I suggest that you lose your attachments to our old faction. I have." I snapped before getting up and leaving.

It was a bad idea to be around people right now. I headed back toward the training room, I had assumed that no one would be in there. I was wrong. The last person I wanted to see was in there, throwing knives.

Four didn't turn toward the sound of the door opening or closing but he must have known I was here. His postured stiffened and I could see him grip the knife harder.

"Did you kiss Eve goodnight before she left?" I questioned him. He didn't reply. He just relaxed his shoulders and let the knife sail through the air toward the target.

But where it landed toward me that I had succeeded in getting under his skin. The knife was in the outer rings. All of his throws throughout the day had landed dead center. One little remark about intimacy and he was off his mark.

How very Abnegation of him.

"So, Stiff, how does it feel to be able to actually kiss a girl without feeling guilty or embarrassed?" I mocked him. "Oh wait, you're still embarrassed aren't you? Afraid you're doing something wrong. I bet you never make the first move." I taunt him. He doesn't respond. At first.

"Don't blame me for your shortcomings." He said casually as he placed his remaining knives on the table. "You're the one that left her." He turned to face me, his hands clasped behind his back, a stiff through and through.

"You don't know anything about me and my reasons for leaving, Stiff." I growled at him.

"Everyone she has ever loved has left her. It doesn't matter what your reasons were. All that matters is how she feels. And she feels alone. That kind of feeling changes a person." Four remained calmed as he reprimanded me for my choices. Who did he think he was? And how could he be so calm while I was so angry?

I don't know what I was going to do but I took a step toward him. Before I could decide if I was going to attack or not the door behind me burst open. Amar's solid frame filled up the space between the door jams.

"I thought I heard voices in here." He said calmly as he walked into the room, surveying both of us. "No initiates are to be in the training rooms unsupervised. Besides if I were you I'd be heading to bed." He was talking to both of us but I felt that the last comment was directed toward me.

"Yes, sir." With one last glance at Four I left the room and walked straight to the dormitory. It was later than I thought, more than half the beds had sleepy occupants in them.

I quietly kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed fully clothed. I hadn't realized how tired I was for all the physical and emotional exhaustion. The moment that my head it the pillow, it was lights out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For once I was glad that I had fallen asleep fully clothed. There were no clocks displayed inside the dormitory but I could tell that it was still early when Amar banged the door opened and flipped on all the lights.

"Let's get moving cupcakes." He shouted into the once quiet room. Everyone had jumped out of bed and was trying to get dressed in a frenzy. "You have 5 minutes to be at the train tracks." He demanded as he stormed out of the room.

I quickly slipped my discarded shoes on and followed out behind him. I was the only initiate that was completely ready. I could see Angel and the twins tagging along half a hallway behind, still trying to put their shoes on.

When we reached the train platform, I realized how early it was. I must have only been asleep for 2 or 3 hours. It was pitch black. If it wasn't for the lights on the oncoming train I don't think I would have been able to see it at all.

By the time that the train approached, all of the initiates, transfers and Dauntless Born, had gathered on the platform with about a dozen Dauntless members.

I hadn't really seen the Dauntless Born much since the start of initiation. We almost matched their numbers. There were ten transfers and fifteen Dauntless born. By the end of initiation, ten of us would be cut and therefore be Factionless. I tried not to think about that as the train drew nearer.

I didn't wait for instructions as I ran along the train and threw myself into the first cart. I landed with a roll and ended up in a crouched position. I straighten and leaned against the back wall as the others jumped on board.

There were more Dauntless-Born in this cart than Initiates. I hadn't met any of them yet. But one came and stood next to me.

"I'm John." He stuck his hand out and we shook.

"Eric." I replied, partly sizing him up. He was bigger than I was, but that was mainly due to the fact that he had worked out most of his life. He was about the same height as me but he had more muscle than I did. I wasn't worried, wouldn't be long before I looked like that.

"I know who you are. My dad works in the control room. So I sneak a peek at the training." I stared at him blankly for a few minutes and then just laughed.

"That's kind of like cheating you know." I said to him.

"Not really since we never get to fight initiates. It just lets me see who the best is." He smiled. "Besides, once they post your ranking, everyone will know anyway. Not really a secret around here." He bumped his shoulder against mine and I agree because I know it's true.

"So you spend a lot of time in the control room? Ever see something you're not supposed to see?" I chuckled. It was easy talking to him as we rode the train.

"Normally all the time. But my father hasn't been in there much due to the fact that he is training you and the rest of the initiates." He shrugged.

"Wait, your dad is Amar?" I asked bewildered.

"Yeah, bit of a surprise for most people too." He shrugged again, clearly ready to change the topic.

"So what's training like for the Dauntless Born?" I changed the topic, slightly curious about his training, and not wanting to make him uncomfortable talking about his dad.

"Oh it's slightly different than yours. We have an obstacle course." I didn't know what my expression told him but it must have been astonishment because he laughed openly at me. "Yeah the course is pretty amazing. If you survive tonight I might show it to you."

I laughed with him. "So what are we doing here anyway?" I asked him curiously.

"Dauntless has a tradition. Each year the transfer, Dauntless-Born, and a select few Members play a game of capture the flag." He gestured to the two flags that Amar was holding. One was bright blue and one was bright orange.

"How are teams chosen? Is it ranked? How does the ranking effect the standings?" Questions just started pouring out of my mouth naturally.

John didn't reply at first, he was watching others jump off the train. We must have been where we were headed. He looked at me before heading out the doors himself.

"Be careful Transfer, your Erudite is showing." He smiled and followed the others out the door.

I didn't even hesitate as I followed him. I landed not far from him, in a rolling tuck that left me in a crouch position.

"Not a bad jump for a transfer." One of the other Dauntless-Born said as he walk off. I stood up and walked with John where the group had gathered. Amar was already speaking.

"There will be two groups. One lead by myself and the other lead by Max." He gestured toward the Dauntless Leader.

"As Amar already said, this game is purely for fun. But we do take into account any bravery and outstanding characteristic. Let's get divided." Max started with the Members. He picked one and them Amar picked one.

It went on like that for a few minutes and then they moved to the Dauntless Born. Most of the names I didn't recognize but John's. He was on Max's team.

Finally it was the transfers turn. Angel had been chosen by Amar, as well as Four and Xander. Xavier and I were chosen by Max. That was fine by me.

I didn't feel back that Angel was on the other team, since the game wasn't ranked. I wanted to beat Four. That's all I cared about.

"Let the games begin." Amar shouted as his group ran in one direction and my group followed Max in the opposite direction.

Time to capture the flag.


End file.
